07/17/2003 IMMIGRATION ALERT:
DRAMATIC L-1 BILL INTRODUCED INTO HOUSE

On July 10, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D - CT) introduced the "L-1 Nonimmigrant Reform Act" (HR 2702), which seeks to drastically reduce the manner and scope of the L-1 nonimmigrant visa. This comes on the heels of a bill introduced by Rep. John L. Mica (R - FL), which had a similar purpose and was first highlighted by Immigration Alerts in May (http://www.hammondlawfirm.com/alerts/05.22.03alert.htm). The bill would take some of the most chilling characteristics of the H-1B program and extend them to the L-1 program.

The DeLauro bill would dramatically curb the ability of American employers to use the L-1 visa by: (1) compelling employers to pay L-1 workers the higher of actual wage or the Department of Labor's OES Level Two wage; (2) make attestations confirming that U.S. workers have not been adversely effected by the L-1 worker's hire; (3) disallow L-1 employers to "out-source, lease, or otherwise contract for the placement of a worker with another firm; (4) eliminate L- blanket petitions (5) raise the overseas employment requirement from one year to two years; (6) require a Public Access File in L-1 cases; (7) cap the number of L-1 visas at 35,000 per year; and (8) create an L-1 training fee of $1,000, which will be required in each petition.

To read the bill in its entirety, please see:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c108:H.R.2702.IH: