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04/16/2013, 07:22 AM
Esteemed Clients, did you see the good news regarding immigration reform? Looks like many people should qualify for Registered Provisional Immigrant Status (RPIS). Here are the important details, in pertinent part, from MSN news: •Allow undocumented immigrants who have lived in the United States continually since before December 31, 2011 to apply for “Registered Provisional Immigrant Status” if they pay back taxes and $500 in fines, and if they have not been convicted of a felony or 3 or more misdemeanors or voted illegally. Individuals with this status can work for any employer and travel outside the country but are not eligible to receive means-tested federal public benefits. • After 10 years in Registered Provisional Immigrant Status, individuals will be eligible to earn a merit-based green card if they have worked in the United States, demonstrated knowledge of the English language and paid an additional fine of $1000. •Allow eligible DREAM act applicants and certain agricultural workers to apply for green cards within five years •Create a new “W” visa program to allow non-agricultural temporary workers to come to the United States to work for registered employers. • Eliminate family-based visas for siblings of United States citizens as well as the Diversity Visa program while eliminating caps on visas for certain employment-based categories. • Use a point system for a new “merit based” visa, of which 120,000 would initially be awarded per year, with a maximum cap of 250,000 annually. Points will be awarded based on criteria including education, employment and length of residence in the U.S. •Require an “enhanced E-Verify” system to prevent ineligible workers from taking jobs in the United States. Employers with more than 5,000 employees will be phased in within two years; employers with more than 500 employees will be phased in within three years. •Raise the annual cap on H1-B visas for high-skilled workers from 65,000 to 110,000, with provisions to prevent such workers from undercutting American wages. Set a maximum cap at 180,000 such visas. Call my office for a consultation in you have any questions!