the monthly healthcare immigration eZine

                                   published by Hammond Law Group, LLC 

MARCH 1, 2005 VOL. III ISSUE  3 (MARCH ISSUE)  

 

Keep up with the latest Immigration News by signing up for all of Hammond Law Group LLC's free publications:
Immigration Alerts, Medical Monthly Monitor and Business Immigration Quarterly.
http://www.hammondlawfirm.com/mailing_list.htm

US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT: MORE NURSES NEEDED
The US News and World Report recently published an article stating that the number of retiring nurses and the increasing number of aging baby boomers needing their services are creating a shortage that may reach crisis proportions.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/archive/050131/20050131047774_brief.php

CALIFORNIA NURSE RATIOS RETURN
In a significant blow to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a judge in Sacramento County Superior Court ruled on Friday that the governor illegally delayed a state law requiring California hospitals to raise staffing ratios to one nurse for each five patients.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/05/national/05nurses.html

VISA RETROGRESSION UPDATE: EB3 NOW MARCH 2002
The retrogression dates for EB3 qualified-applicants has crept forward to March 2002, according to the Department of State’s latest Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin is produced monthly, usually around the 15th of the month.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_1770.html

RETROGRESSION PHONE CONFERENCE ON MARCH 10TH
On March 10, 2005 at 3PM ET / 12 noon PT we will be holding a free teleconference for all HLG employer-clients to update them on our efforts and explain how they can help. If you are an employer of healthcare professionals and wish to join in on the call, please send an email to lms@hammondlawfirm.com

http://www.hammondlawfirm.com/alerts/03.02.2005healthcare_alert.htm

REMINDER: PERM BEGINS MARCH 28TH
Healthcare clients who have immigrant visa cases that are ready to file should plan to do so before March 28th to avoid the Schedule A changes to PERM. The most prominent changes are the mandatory pre-filing prevailing wage determination and the requirement that CGFNS examination test takers obtain the full CGFNS certificate prior to filing.
http://www.hammondlawfirm.com/alerts/12.30.2004alert.htm

NVC GUIDANCE ON INCREASED IMMIGRANT VISA FEES
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2005 authorized, among other changes in fees for consular services, the collection of the Immigrant Visa Security Surcharge of $45 per applicant. Effective March 8, 2005, all applicants for immigrant visas will be required to pay the Immigrant Visa Security Surcharge. According to correspondence from the National Visa Center to HLG Attorney Cindy Unkenholt, if the Immigrant Visa Security Surcharge appears on an applicant’s fee bill, the surcharge must be paid before further processing of the petition will take place. If the fee bill was printed prior to the effective date of the Immigrant Visa Security Surcharge, the surcharge will not appear on the fee bill and will not be required until the time of the applicant’s interview.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2005/42133.htm

H-1B CAP EXPANDS FOR GRADUATES WITH US MASTERS OR HIGHER
On March 8, 2005, the H-1B cap expands by 20,000 for Beneficiaries with US Masters or higher degrees. Non-Master degree professionals and those educated overseas must wait until October 1, 2005 for their cases to be approved. However, those candidates are strongly encouraged to file their cases as soon as April 1, 2005.
http://www.hammondlawfirm.com/alerts/03.01.2005alert.htm

CSC: ONLY ONE RFE FOR VISA SCREEN
The California Service Center recently announced that it is abandoning its long-standing policy of allowing multiple RFEs for healthcare workers who have not completed the Visa Screen process. According a recent Q&A published on the AILA website, the Visa Screen must be presented at the time of adjudication; no extensions will be allowed.
http://uscis.gov/graphics/fieldoffices/california/aboutus.htm

KAISER MD: DOCS MUST HELP SOLVE NURSING SHORTAGE
In a recent Denver Business Journal article, Kaiser Permanente’s Executive Medical Director, Dr. Jack Cochran, explains how physician groups who take an active role in tackling the nursing shortage issues will benefit by having an engaged, professional and compassionate nurse on the health care team.
http://www.bizjournals.com/industries/health_care/hospitals/2005/02/07/denver_focus2.html?f=et163

CGFNS NEW WEB-SITE
CGFNS has dramatically updated their website. The new site is quite user friendly and puts many important items just one click away.
http://www.cgfns.org/default.shtml

HLG ATTORNEYS FEATURED SPEAKERS AT IMMPRO SEMINAR IN NYC
HLG attorneys Mike Hammond and Chris Musillo are featured speakers at the Immpro New York City Seminar. Mike and Chris will focus their discussion on Permanent Residency applications through corporate sponsorship. Immpro is the country’s leading coordinator of immigration seminars for Business, Education, Government and Health Care professionals.
http://www.immpro.com/hammond.html

HLG TO SPEAK AT MARSKELL VANCOUVER
HLG’s Mike Hammond and Harlan Simon will be presenting and speaking at Markskell’s Health Careers Interaction Vancouver Job Fair on March 15, 2005.
http://www.healthcareerscanada.com/

HLG’S SHERRY NEAL TO LOBBY CONGRESS
On March 17, 2005, HLG’s Sherry Neal will be meeting with many Congressional staffers (and maybe even a Senator or two), as she participates in AILA’s annual Lobby Day.
http://www.aila.org/