1. H. Ronald Klasko, Esq. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Philadelphia New York 1800 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Floor 17317 Madison Ave., Suite 1518 Philadelphia, PA 19103 New York, NY 10017 215.825.8600 212.796.8840 rklasko@klaskolaw.com www.klaskolaw.com rklasko@klaskolaw.com Immigration Options Immigration Options for Scholars and Researchers Wednesday, October 27, 2010

2. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP H. Ronald Klasko, Esq. Ron Klasko is the Managing Partner of Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP, the first immigration law firm global partner of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. He has been providing immigration assistance and solutions to leading universities, research institutions, hospitals and individuals for over 25 years. He and his firm have assisted thousands of students, postdocs and other researchers obtain permanent resident status, J-1 waivers and other immigration benefits. Ron is a former National President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and served for 3 years as the bar associations General Counsel. He is a past Chair of AILAs Department of Labor National Liaison Committee and its Task Force on H and L Visas. Mr. Klasko is one of only three practicing lawyers to have received the American Immigration Lawyers Association Founders Award, bestowed upon the individual who has had the most positive impact on immigration law. Ron has been chosen as one of twelve top tier immigration lawyers in the U.S. by Chambers Global. He is selected annually for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America. The International Whos Who of Business Lawyers selected Ron as the most highly regarded immigration lawyer in the world. Ron is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Law.

3. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP H-1B Visas and Quota J-1 Visas and Waivers O-1 Visas Permanent Residence Status Q&As Immigration Options for Scholars and Researchers Agenda

4. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP H-1B Visas Basic requirements Job Offer Prevailing Wage Bachelors or higher degree Specialty occupation Procedure and processing times Specialty occupation issues Part-time or full-time Length of approval Extensions Portability Spouses Travel

5. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP H-1B Quota What is it, and what does it mean? Separate quota for US-educated advanced degree holders Separate options for Canada, Mexico, Australia, Chile and Singapore Prospects for change Timing April 1 filing date October 1 start date

6. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Options for Dealing with H-1B Quota Quota-exempt employment Strategies to enhance chances of getting H-1B Alternative visa options Applying for permanent residence directly

7. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Quota-Exempt Employment Who is not subject to the quota? Universities Nonprofit institutions affiliated with universities Employed at university Nonprofit or government research organization Concurrent employment Previous H-1B

8. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Travel and Status Issues for H-1B Approvals Change of status vs. consular visa issuance Travel after April 1 Maintaining status until October 1 Cap gap work authorization

9. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Recapture time out of U.S. 1 year extension if file labor certification application or immigrant petition one year before expiration 3 year extension if immigrant petition approved and quota backlog H-1B Extensions Beyond 6 Years

10. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP J-1 Visas Who is subject to 2-year return? What does it mean to be subject? Options if subject: Return home Where is home? Aggregating trips? O-1 Waiver

11. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Avoiding Need for J-1 Waiver Medical Researchers Who decides if 2 year return requirement? CIS – not DOS Visa, DS 2019, advisory opinion not determinative Only subject if Skills list Government financing Graduate medical education or training

12. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Avoiding Need for J-1 Waiver Skills list advocacy Country of citizenship or country of last residence Country of last residence vs. country of last permanent residence Proving different skills list category Effect of new country of citizenship Impossibility of fulfillment argument (contd)

13. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Avoiding Need for J-1 Waiver Government financing advocacy Must be during J status Indirect government financing Funds earmarked for exchange program (contd)

14. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Visa Options Without Needing Waiver Anything other than H or L visa or change of status O-1, TN-1, E-3 ok Canadian H-1B visa-exempt entry ok? Change of status from F-1 (or other) to H-1B ok Labor certification and I-140 can be approved DS230 immigrant visa application can be filed I-485 cannot be filed (except clinical NIW)

15. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Fulfilling Two-Year Return Requirement Return to country of nationality or last residence? Can fulfill sequentially

16. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP J-1 Waiver Options No objection statement Exceptional hardship Persecution Interested government agency

17. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP No Objection Statement Researchers only Usually not helpful if U.S. or international organization funding Quickest and easiest waiver Attitudes of different countries

18. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Exceptional Hardship Waiver Hardship to U.S. citizen or LPR spouse or child Hardship must be exceptional Very difficult

19. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Persecution Waiver Individualized persecution Similar to asylum

20. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Interested Government Agency Waivers Research track Usually through HHS Peer review process – unlike CIS filings Do not need 3 years in H-1B?

21. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP HHS Waivers Key Issues Importance of research program Does not have to be NIH funded Essentiality and uniqueness of foreign national Recruitment (unavailability of U.S. researchers) Future of program and future of foreign national Bench research (at least 30 hours per week) vs. clinical research Excellence of foreign nationals research

22. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP HHS Waivers Other Issues Involvement of NIH scientists familiar with the research Impact of Fulbright funding Timing (contd)

23. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Other Medical Research Waivers Usually limited to agency contracts, grants or research programs Examples include NSF, DOD, NASA, DOE and DOI

24. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP O-1 Visas Employer sponsored Standards Documentation Reference letters Processing time/issues Length of approval Extensions Spouses

25. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Family Investment Asylum Lottery Employment

26. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Spouse of U.S. citizen No quota wait EAD and AP within 3 months Travel may result in loss of status unless H-1B All other relationships Long quota wait No interim benefits Family

27. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Investment $500,000 or $1,000,000 Individual investment or regional center

28. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Asylum Individualized fear of persecution Race, religion, nationality, political opinion, social group, sexual persuasion

29. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Lottery Only specified countries One year window www.travel.state.gov Effect of application on future visa applications

30. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment Employer-sponsored or self-sponsored Labor certification or extraordinary/national interest/exceptional Multiple petitions

31. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment Quotas Visa Bulletin (www.travel.state.gov)www.travel.state.gov Per country of birth, per preference category, per fiscal year Filing date is priority date EB-1 (extraordinary ability, outstanding researcher) No quota wait (contd)

32. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment Quotas EB-2 National interest waiver Labor certification requiring Masters degree Bachelors degree plus 5 years progressive experience, or Exceptional ability No quota wait, except China and India EB-3 Labor certification requiring bachelors or 2 years experience Long quota wait for all countries (contd)

33. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment Self-Sponsored Extraordinary ability EB-1 Standard National or international reputation One of few at the top of peers Key is defining field of expertise specifically Extensive documentation required Reference letters critical (contd)

34. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment National Interest Waiver EB-2 Standard Exceptional ability or advanced degree National priority National impact Extensive documentation required Reference letters critical (contd)

35. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment Employer-Sponsored Outstanding Researcher EB-1 Permanent position Similar to extraordinary ability (contd)

36. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment Evaluating Eligibility CV Evaluation 1 st listed author publications In process; submitted; accepted; published; cited Impact factor? Citations Footnote Text Presentations 1 st listed abstracts Oral vs. poster (contd) Book chapters Honors and awards Manuscript reviewer Media

37. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment Evaluating Eligibility Evaluation Outside of CV Importance/narrowness of field of expertise Ability to explain importance Significant contributions to field First, only, best, new discovery? Impact on field and other researchers New? Old? Sustained? Referees (contd)

38. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment Choosing Referees How many? Good C.V.s Prestigious institutions Geographical diversity One per institution Impartiality (contd)

39. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment Other Factors Not a peer review process Importance of job title? Importance of employer sponsorship? File now, or wait? Choice of attorney (contd)

40. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment Labor Certification Application (PERM) Employer Sponsored Recruitment Prevailing wage Legal issues Timing First of 3 steps (contd)

41. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment Timing Electronic filing Timing varies Possibility of audit First of three steps Importance of filing before end of 5 th year in H-1B status (contd)

42. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment I-140 Petition 1 st step for EB-1 and national interest waiver 2 nd step for PERM Employee documents education and experience If adjustment of status, file concurrently with I-485 if quota current If consular immigrant visa processing, approval sent to National Visa Center (contd)

43. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment I-485 (Application for Adjustment of Status to Permanent Resident) Cannot file until quota is current Importance of filing Do not need to maintain visa status Can file for spouse and child Can get Employment Authorization Document (EAD) (contd)

44. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Permanent Resident Status Employment Can get advance parole travel document Eliminate need to obtain visas Can still maintain and extend H-1B status Can leave employer if I-140 approved I-485 pending 180 days Similar occupation Permanent resident upon approval Timing and delay issues (contd)

45. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP Questions ?

46. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP For Further Information H. Ronald Klasko, Esq. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP E-mail: rklasko@klaskolaw.com Telephone: 215-825-8600 (Philadelphia) 212-796-8840 (New York) Website:www.klaskolaw.com Blog:http://blog.klaskolaw.com