PRES. ARROYO ORDERS SPECIAL EXAM FOR JUNE 06 NURSES
In light of the scandal surrounding the June 2006 Philippine Board of Nursing Exam, Pres. Arroyo announced a special examination allowing impacted nurses an opportunity to re-take the Philippine BON exam without having to surrender their current license. Earlier this year, CGFNS announced that it would not issue Visa Screens to those nurses who sat for the June 2006 exam.
http://www.cgfns.org/files/pdf/news/03-12-07_Philippine_EO_609.pdf

CGFNS LAUNCHES CGFNS CONNECT
Online Application System Gets a Makeover and a New Name — CGFNS Connect!
CGFNS Connect, formerly the Online Application System, launched on March 9, 2007. CGFNS notes that users visiting CGFNS Connect “will experience cleaner, simpler, and more attractive web screens throughout the online application system.”
http://www.cgfns.org/

NURSING RELIEF ACT OF 2007
The Nursing Relief Act of 2007 has been introduced into the House of Representatives as bill HR 1358. The bill is a very good one for nurses and US patients. HLG has worked with this group in the past and we know how much hard work they have put into making this bill. Unfortunately, we are a little skeptical that such a bill can survive the legislation process since the sponsors and co-sponsors are in the minority Republican Party.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-1358

THE H-1 CAP HAS BEEN REACHED
The USCIS has announced that, on April 2, the H-1 cap was reached. The USCIS' press release says that about 150,000 H-1(b) filings were made on April 2, the first day that H-1(b)'s were accepted for filing. In accord with regulation, USCIS will subject H-1B petitions received on April 2 to a computer-generated random selection process. Employers should expect that only about one out of every three filed cases will be approvable.
http://www.hammondlawfirm.com/alerts/h-1_cap_has_been_reached.htm

LIVING THE DREAM IN NE PA
The Times Tribune tells the story of foreign-trained nurses and the contributions that they, and their families, are making to northeastern Pennsylvania.
http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18096809&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=415898&rfi=6

RETROGRESSION FOR RNs AND PTs: UPDATE & STRATEGY
On April 11, 2007 at 3PM ET / 12 noon we will be holding a free teleconference for all HLG employer-clients. The teleconference agenda includes:

- Retrogression and legislation update
- HLG's efforts to lobby for positive retrogression and regulatory changes
- What YOU can do to end retrogression

If you are interested in participating on the call, please send an email indicating your interest to: mmc@hammondlawfirm.com. Your confirmation and dial-in number will be sent a few days before the call.

This teleconference is limited to clients who are employers. If you are not a client of HLG but are interested in participating in the call, please contact Chris Musillo (cmusillo@hammondlawfirm.com)

HLG BLOG: RETROGRESSION BATTLE CONTINUES
Read about HLG’s ongoing effort to work on Congress to have a Schedule A visa bill passed that ends retrogression. This month’s Blog entries detail our lobbying trips to DC, the STRIVE Act, Sen. Hutchison’s admirable attempt to pass a favorable amendment, and many other entries. Are you checking it regularly?
http://hammondlawgroup.blogspot.com/

SYMPOSIUM ON THE INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS
Hammond Law Group is pleased to announce a Symposium on International Recruitment of Healthcare Workers on Friday, May 4, 2007 in New York, New York. The Symposium is free to all clients and friends of the firm. Please register early. This event is limited to the first 100 guests.
http://www.hammondlawfirm.com/hc_symposium_5_2007.htm

HLG EVENT CALENDAR

PROCESSING TIMES CHART