24 Mar 2014

Can an employee pay for the green card processing expenses?

Answer The U.S. Department of Labor requires that the employer pay for the PERM labor certification and related expenses. So, the employer must be paid for this part of the case. The USCIS does not have the same view, so the expenses of the I-140 and...

21 Mar 2014

I worked on post-completion OPT for one year after I completed my master’s degree. I then decided to continue my education and went to law school. I have now graduated with a J.D. degree and would like to get some practical experience working in a law office. Am I eligible for a second one-year period of OPT?

Answer According to the general OPT rule, a student becomes eligible for a new 12-month OPT period based upon completion of a subsequent degree at a higher educational level. But, in some cases, such as yours, it is not entirely clear if the subsequent degree is...

17 Mar 2014

Does a change in the job title under same job classification e.g. LCA job code Computer System Analyst (151051) to Software Developer (151133) require an H1B amendment? Added responsibilities are not documented in current H1B LCA.

Answer A job title change alone would not require an H1B amendment, but a material change in the job duties DOES require an amendment. The LCA does not list duties, only location, title/classification, wage level and the like. The specific job duties are specified in the...

14 Mar 2014

My OPT ended last month, on February 1st. I have decided to apply for transfer to a new program of study, which starts in August this year. What are the timelines that I need to be aware of in order to have my SEVIS record transferred?

Answer Under the regulation, "[i]n the case of an F-1 student authorized to engage in post-completion optional practical training (OPT), the student must be able resume classes within 5 months of transferring out of the school that recommended OPT or the date the OPT authorization ends,...