Bush flip-flops on H1-B visa cap

[Guest perm2temp]

Skilled workers win reversal of decision on green cards

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/07/18/america/18visa.php

 

WASHINGTON: The immigration agency announced Tuesday that

public opinion had caused it to reverse an earlier government

decision that prevented thousands of legal immigrants from

obtaining work-based permanent visas.

 

On June 12, the State Department encouraged highly skilled

immigrants here on temporary employment visas to apply for

permanent employment visas, known as green cards, to become

permanent residents. The department said the visas would be

available starting July 2. But on that date, the department

announced that all available employment-based visas had been

distributed for the year.

 

On Tuesday, however, the immigration agency, Citizenship and

Immigration Services, said it would accept applications for

these visas if they were filed by Aug. 17.

 

"The public reaction to the July 2 announcement made it clear

that the federal government's management of this process needs

further review," Emilio Gonzalez, the agency's director,

said in a statement. "I am committed to working with Congress

and the State Department to implement a more efficient system

in line with public expectations."

 

State Department officials have said the alert in June was

meant to speed visa processing, to make sure no visas went

unused. Both agencies have tried to reduce green-card

application backlogs.