Thursday, December 19, 2013

Winter Break 2013

Georgia Tech will be closed from December 23-27, 2013 for Winter Break and on January 1, 2014.


Monday, December 23, 2013 (All day)Tuesday, December 24, 2013 (All day)Wednesday, December 25, 2013 (All day)Thursday, December 26, 2013 (All day)Friday, December 27, 2013 (All day)Wednesday, January 1, 2014 (All day)
Happy Holidays from Global Human Resources!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

January 2014 Visa Bulletin

From Fragomen.com, 12/12/2013

EB-3 Cut-Off Dates Advance Significantly for Most Countries; No Forward Movement for EB-2 and EB-3 India

According to the State Department’s January Visa Bulletin, the EB-3 subcategory for professionals and skilled workers will advance by six months, to April 1, 2012, for China and most countries. EB-3 India will remain at September 1, 2003. 

The EB-3 other worker subcategory will also advance by six months, to April 1, 2012, for most countries, with the exception of a one-month advance for the Philippines to February 15, 2007, but EB-3 India will remain at September 1, 2003. 

As previously 
reported, EB-2 India will remain at November 15, 2004, due to available numbers being exhausted. EB-2 China will advance by one month, to December 8, 2008. 

In the family-based F-2A category for the spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents, the cutoff date will remain at September 8, 2013 for all countries except for Mexico, which will remain at September 1, 2013. The category was current for two months earlier this year but had a cut-off date imposed as of October 1. 

January 2014 Priority Date Cut-Offs 

In January 2014, EB immigrant visa priority date cut-offs will be: 

EB-1 
Current for all countries. 

EB-2 
China: December 8, 2008 
India: November 15, 2004 
All other countries: Current 

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers 
China: April 1, 2012 
India: September 1, 2003 
Philippines: February 15, 2007 
All other countries: April 1, 2012 

EB-3 Other Workers 
China: April 1, 2012 
India: September 1, 2003 
Philippines: February 15, 2007 
All other countries: April 1, 2012 

EB-5 
Current for all countries and subcategories. 

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

November EB-2 India Numbers Exhausted Faster Than Anticipated

From Fragomen.com, 12/03/2013

Due to the unprecedented demand for EB-2 India immigrant visa (IV) numbers, foreign nationals with priority dates between November 2004 and June 2008 may not have had their cases processed to completion last month. November's available numbers were exhausted earlier than expected, according to the State Department official responsible for visa control. 

On November 20, 2013, DOS ceased allocating visa numbers to EB-2 India adjustment of status applications with priority dates after November 2004, the cut-off date in the December Visa Bulletin. November’s cut-off date was June 2008, but those IVs were exhausted quickly, with the State Department receiving up to 150 visa number requests per day. The majority of the available numbers were allocated to cases in which the beneficiary had established a priority date in the EB-3 category and now qualified for an upgrade to EB-2. 

Future Movement in EB-2 India 

As we reported 
previously, the cut-off date for EB-2 India is expected to remain at November 2004 for the next several months. It is possible that in August or September 2014, the cut-off date for EB-2 India will advance again to around December 2008. 

However, these are only projections, highly subject to change based on usage or new developments. The following factors may affect forward movement for EB-2 India:
§  Volume of allocated EB-2 India IVs for those with priority dates before November 2004;
§  Volume of worldwide upgrades from EB-3 to EB-2;
§  Available of unused IVs from other employment-based categories; and
§  The decreased worldwide quota, which is approximately 8,000 less than last year.

Employers and beneficiaries are reminded that predictions from DOS are based on current information but are subject to change according to fluctuations in demand. 

What the November Exhaustion Means for Foreign Nationals 

If you are a foreign national with an EB-2 India priority date between November 2004 and June 2008, your adjustment application may not have been approved in November, even though your priority date appeared to be current. Your application should remain pending until the priority cut-off date advances. The State Department projects that this could occur in August or September 2014, although forward movement is not guaranteed and depends on visa number usage. Until the EB-2 India cut-off date advances, you and your family members should continue to be eligible for employment authorization and advance permission to travel as adjustment applicants. 

The number of adjustment applications affected by the early exhaustion in November is unknown. EB-2 immigrant visa numbers remain available for cases with priority dates of November 2004 and earlier.