gjoe
02-14 04:20 PM
[QUOTE=paskal;223415]
I could be a member of drink-raw-milk Club. Am I supposed to declare that on I-485? ;)
Yes, I guess so. If the drink raw milk club is a registered orginization.
Disclosure : I am not a lawyer, please check with your legal ......no just save that money for a rainy day
:)
I could be a member of drink-raw-milk Club. Am I supposed to declare that on I-485? ;)
Yes, I guess so. If the drink raw milk club is a registered orginization.
Disclosure : I am not a lawyer, please check with your legal ......no just save that money for a rainy day
:)
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Saralayar
07-03 10:40 AM
My son recently finished his high school and wanted to do Dental degree in India. My current situation is I have applied for adjustment of status in July 2007. Me and my family got the EAD and AP. My priority date is Eb3-November 2005. WIth this mess, I am not sure when I will get my green card.
My question is:
Can I send my son to India for his studies when the adjustment of status is pending. Will it be considered as abondaned if he is out of US when the adjustment of status is in progress?.
Is there any specific forms for this type of situation so that he can go for studies in India and continue the adjustment of status.
My question is:
Can I send my son to India for his studies when the adjustment of status is pending. Will it be considered as abondaned if he is out of US when the adjustment of status is in progress?.
Is there any specific forms for this type of situation so that he can go for studies in India and continue the adjustment of status.
saimrathi
07-03 06:58 PM
On 7/3/07, Senator_Clinton@clinton.senate.gov <Senator_Clinton@clinton.senate.gov> wrote:
Dear Friend:
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns with me
via e-mail. I hope you will understand that, because of the volume of
e-mails I receive from residents of New York State, I cannot at this time
respond to messages received from residents of other states. I encourage
you to contact your U.S. senators if you have an issue or concern that
needs immediate attention. You can access your senators electronically by
visiting http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index_by_state.cfm for a listing
of their contact information. If you are still interested in learning
more about the work I am doing on behalf of New York State, I hope you
will continue to monitor my work through my website at
http://clinton.senate.gov.
Sincerely,
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
New York State
Dear Friend:
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns with me
via e-mail. I hope you will understand that, because of the volume of
e-mails I receive from residents of New York State, I cannot at this time
respond to messages received from residents of other states. I encourage
you to contact your U.S. senators if you have an issue or concern that
needs immediate attention. You can access your senators electronically by
visiting http://www.senate.gov/contacting/index_by_state.cfm for a listing
of their contact information. If you are still interested in learning
more about the work I am doing on behalf of New York State, I hope you
will continue to monitor my work through my website at
http://clinton.senate.gov.
Sincerely,
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
New York State
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breddy2000
07-25 02:17 PM
They can waste numbers and come up with excuses. But because of criticism from Ombudsman, Congress, etc it looks like they are trying to shape up. They can adjudicate 30 k petitions are more in 2 months if they are committed to. We could get an idea, if there is a deluge of approvals in the first half of August.
Do you guys remember how many visas USCIS processed within the Last few days of June 2007 ( I remember it was around 20k) just to make sure they exhaust the Visa numbers and rollback the Visa Bulletin?
If it's possible for them to complete as many applications within a short span of time,it means they are capable of processing the applications faster...
Now due to more hiring they might process all the available visas by the end of the year.
Not that I'm having hopes of me getting 485 approved based on my PD, but just to put things in perspective....
We'll see once we hit Aug 1st......
Do you guys remember how many visas USCIS processed within the Last few days of June 2007 ( I remember it was around 20k) just to make sure they exhaust the Visa numbers and rollback the Visa Bulletin?
If it's possible for them to complete as many applications within a short span of time,it means they are capable of processing the applications faster...
Now due to more hiring they might process all the available visas by the end of the year.
Not that I'm having hopes of me getting 485 approved based on my PD, but just to put things in perspective....
We'll see once we hit Aug 1st......
more...
Googler
02-18 03:58 PM
I do not understand why out of 205 people who voted yes, nobody has :
1) Contacted an attorney with his own money if they are so interested?
2) Nobody has agreed to become a plaintiff except Googler.
Googler, why don't you lead this effort and become the plaintiff and get a lawyer to start filing a case? You can file a class action lawsuit on behalf of all immigrant community. Once you file the case people will thank you and appreciate your bravery.
I do not think this lawsuit idea will go anywhere unless someone is willing to risk his greencard for it. Because once you become a plaintiff USCIS will review your case more thoroughly. Plus you need to get your employer on the same page for it. You also need to spend thousands of dollars from your own pocket to take part in your lawsuit.
Another thing, I do not trust lawyers opinion in this matter unless a lawyer is a litigation lawyer. If a lawfirm is good at filing paperwork and filling applications, they cannot do a class action lawsuit. They may show interest in it for money and publicity. You need to get a litigation lawyer only for it.
I've said this before but perhaps I'll have to say it many more times till it sinks in
... the thinking on this is at a VERY VERY VERY preliminary stage. In real life class action lawsuits, named plaintiffs are chosen based on how well they fit the argument in the case, not the other way round. As I said upthread, all those who want decisions, deals, money etc RIGHT NOW are being pretty unrealistic -- probably just because of unfamiliarity with the progress of cases like this. I know people want to be reassured that there is NO risk of losing, every decision node is mapped out, responsibility assigned, but if that is what anyone is thinking they have to rejigger their thinking. ;-)
IV members should also be aware that all we need are a few named plaintiffs, it isn't as though every IV member or even everyone wanting to sue needs to be a named plaintiff. All the judge needs to recognize is that there is a large group of applicants with same or similar grounds for suing USCIS/Emilio Gonzalez. Edit to add: IV the organization doesn't even need to be the primary plaintiff, since that will necessarily cutoff any parallel discussion with the agencies. The IV forums are just a place to organize this.
Internet, if you voted no, why are you so worked up about it? Nobody is about to make you do anything you don't want to do. Carry on with your life, this is not about to impinge you negatively. Why do you care what other people do with their time?
For people who voted yes, it is worth thinking about what you are willing to do for the effort -- at present, all that is needed is an interest and willingness to read and do some research and THAT IS ALL. Read the two paragraphs I quoted above.
As far as contacting attorneys and moving the ball forward, it is a time consuming process -- it isn't as though they call you right back with a draft brief and legal arguments. This is not an ordinary paperwork issue. It has after all been a grand total of 6 days since the poll was started on 2-12-08!! ;-)
1) Contacted an attorney with his own money if they are so interested?
2) Nobody has agreed to become a plaintiff except Googler.
Googler, why don't you lead this effort and become the plaintiff and get a lawyer to start filing a case? You can file a class action lawsuit on behalf of all immigrant community. Once you file the case people will thank you and appreciate your bravery.
I do not think this lawsuit idea will go anywhere unless someone is willing to risk his greencard for it. Because once you become a plaintiff USCIS will review your case more thoroughly. Plus you need to get your employer on the same page for it. You also need to spend thousands of dollars from your own pocket to take part in your lawsuit.
Another thing, I do not trust lawyers opinion in this matter unless a lawyer is a litigation lawyer. If a lawfirm is good at filing paperwork and filling applications, they cannot do a class action lawsuit. They may show interest in it for money and publicity. You need to get a litigation lawyer only for it.
I've said this before but perhaps I'll have to say it many more times till it sinks in
... the thinking on this is at a VERY VERY VERY preliminary stage. In real life class action lawsuits, named plaintiffs are chosen based on how well they fit the argument in the case, not the other way round. As I said upthread, all those who want decisions, deals, money etc RIGHT NOW are being pretty unrealistic -- probably just because of unfamiliarity with the progress of cases like this. I know people want to be reassured that there is NO risk of losing, every decision node is mapped out, responsibility assigned, but if that is what anyone is thinking they have to rejigger their thinking. ;-)
IV members should also be aware that all we need are a few named plaintiffs, it isn't as though every IV member or even everyone wanting to sue needs to be a named plaintiff. All the judge needs to recognize is that there is a large group of applicants with same or similar grounds for suing USCIS/Emilio Gonzalez. Edit to add: IV the organization doesn't even need to be the primary plaintiff, since that will necessarily cutoff any parallel discussion with the agencies. The IV forums are just a place to organize this.
Internet, if you voted no, why are you so worked up about it? Nobody is about to make you do anything you don't want to do. Carry on with your life, this is not about to impinge you negatively. Why do you care what other people do with their time?
For people who voted yes, it is worth thinking about what you are willing to do for the effort -- at present, all that is needed is an interest and willingness to read and do some research and THAT IS ALL. Read the two paragraphs I quoted above.
As far as contacting attorneys and moving the ball forward, it is a time consuming process -- it isn't as though they call you right back with a draft brief and legal arguments. This is not an ordinary paperwork issue. It has after all been a grand total of 6 days since the poll was started on 2-12-08!! ;-)
sangmami
06-28 09:46 AM
Hi,
Are they predicting just mid month retrogression or early month retrogression?
Thanks
Are they predicting just mid month retrogression or early month retrogression?
Thanks
more...
nitinboston
05-29 04:52 PM
Its time to wake up. The writing is on the wall. I have been stuck in EB3 since 2005 and i dont see myself getting a GC anytime soon. The only way the govt here will realise how much we contribute to this economy is, When we will start leaving in droves.
I got my PR to Canada in 8 months and am already applying for job's there. I think i am done with this system, there are way too many people running after way few GC's. And USCIS knows it, we are a bunch of brown people sitting on our knees begging for GC. We have become the slaves of 21'st century, and i am gonna break free from it. More of us do so, better it would be. If US wants to loose all educated hard working people to Canada, Australia and other countries, so be it.
I got my PR to Canada in 8 months and am already applying for job's there. I think i am done with this system, there are way too many people running after way few GC's. And USCIS knows it, we are a bunch of brown people sitting on our knees begging for GC. We have become the slaves of 21'st century, and i am gonna break free from it. More of us do so, better it would be. If US wants to loose all educated hard working people to Canada, Australia and other countries, so be it.
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user1205
02-15 04:46 PM
For the most part I think you're right. When I did my master's we were less than 10 white people in 200 in that major. Most of the indian people in there (about half of the 190) were H4s studying while the spouse came on H1 directly from India. And while I had to pay international tuition they got the in state resident tuition.
When I finished my degree might I add in the top 5 of those 200 I had a hard time finding a job while my colleagues each knew someone who helped them land a job a lot easier. I did ok for myself in the end and I have many Indian friends so don't take this as an anti-indian post. But there are definitely advantages to be part of a big group that is concentrated in an industry.
That being said, I don't think that we would be having this discussion in a normal world in which the GC numbers are enough. So stop the bickering and work towards increasing those numbers. That will make life easier for everybody.
The reason we have greater supply of workforce in IT from one specific country is not because of skills or talents. Almost every IT workers from ROW and China came to the US as a foreign student after TOEFL, GMAT, GRE, internship and only then landed a job in IT. Whereas the preponderence of IT workers from India came here through L1/B1/H1 sponsorship through bodyshops. Attending school, preparing for generalized tests requires time, money and patience. This is one big factor why the supply curve is skewed.
When I finished my degree might I add in the top 5 of those 200 I had a hard time finding a job while my colleagues each knew someone who helped them land a job a lot easier. I did ok for myself in the end and I have many Indian friends so don't take this as an anti-indian post. But there are definitely advantages to be part of a big group that is concentrated in an industry.
That being said, I don't think that we would be having this discussion in a normal world in which the GC numbers are enough. So stop the bickering and work towards increasing those numbers. That will make life easier for everybody.
The reason we have greater supply of workforce in IT from one specific country is not because of skills or talents. Almost every IT workers from ROW and China came to the US as a foreign student after TOEFL, GMAT, GRE, internship and only then landed a job in IT. Whereas the preponderence of IT workers from India came here through L1/B1/H1 sponsorship through bodyshops. Attending school, preparing for generalized tests requires time, money and patience. This is one big factor why the supply curve is skewed.
more...
vamsi_poondla
05-03 07:47 PM
Just for every one to know, if you are Singhalese 40% is good for your start College, if not, you need 80% to continue for college.
Do you mean if a SL Tamil minority person who can speak and write in Sinhala, he still needs 40%? Is it possible to provide adequate proof that discriminates SL Tamils if they can use Sinhala medium?
Do you mean if a SL Tamil minority person who can speak and write in Sinhala, he still needs 40%? Is it possible to provide adequate proof that discriminates SL Tamils if they can use Sinhala medium?
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485Mbe4001
06-11 07:09 PM
"Now with this huge deluge of immigrants, especially from the desi consulting companies, I feel that my quality of life is getting adversely impacted. Do not rush to conclusions that I am anti Indian or anti immigrant. 12 years back when I first got my H1 visa, the requirements to qualify were strict. "
i am not interested in giving red or blue dots but i do hope your citizenship application gets stuck in a processing delay, you too will then realize the implication of your so called Darwinian flush :rolleyes: As they say...when it happens to others its a recession, when it happens to you it turns into a depression...good luck..
I hope your post did not imply that the ones who got GC's were the 'brightest and the best'.
i am not interested in giving red or blue dots but i do hope your citizenship application gets stuck in a processing delay, you too will then realize the implication of your so called Darwinian flush :rolleyes: As they say...when it happens to others its a recession, when it happens to you it turns into a depression...good luck..
I hope your post did not imply that the ones who got GC's were the 'brightest and the best'.
more...
cps060
03-20 03:17 PM
Hello Tito,
Could you explain what is the Returning Resident Permit ? Who can apply for that ? Also are you suggesting that once you have that document, even after one's PR card expires, one can enter CA al long as the Returning Resident Permit is valid ?
Also I asked this question even before .... Can a person whose PR is going to expire or going to be more than 3 years old .... can a fresh PR application be filed ?
Hi, I experienced similar situation. This is what I did:
Upon getting my PR and landing in Canada, I got job offer in the beautiful US. I kept visiting Canada every month, I kept bank account active there, I bought a car in Canada and transferred to the US (that was silly, don't do that) etc just in case I needed to prove certain ties to Canada and it would be transfer car to Canada again if I needed to go back.
Then 1 year passed. I retained my PR just fine. However, when entering Canada, the immigration officer advised that I was going to end up losing my Canadian PR if I start going back and forth. At that point I applied for the Returning Resident permit. I wen to Canadian embassy in Seattle. Lady who attended me was very rude and told me that working in the US was not a valid excuse to stay out of Canada for 2 years. Then I claimed that I wanted to go back to Canada to open business there with my US experience within 2 years. Lady finally said "you guys don't love Canada, you just love the US". From there she signed the Returning Resident Permanent residency paper for 2 years. Now, five years have passed and I guess my Canadian PR status is unknown. I guess I could just return if I wanted. Last week I went there to visit a friend (it was raining like crazy in Vancouver, BC) and I entered the country without any questions. Therefore if you manage to get in, I guess all my PR status would still be valid.
Could you explain what is the Returning Resident Permit ? Who can apply for that ? Also are you suggesting that once you have that document, even after one's PR card expires, one can enter CA al long as the Returning Resident Permit is valid ?
Also I asked this question even before .... Can a person whose PR is going to expire or going to be more than 3 years old .... can a fresh PR application be filed ?
Hi, I experienced similar situation. This is what I did:
Upon getting my PR and landing in Canada, I got job offer in the beautiful US. I kept visiting Canada every month, I kept bank account active there, I bought a car in Canada and transferred to the US (that was silly, don't do that) etc just in case I needed to prove certain ties to Canada and it would be transfer car to Canada again if I needed to go back.
Then 1 year passed. I retained my PR just fine. However, when entering Canada, the immigration officer advised that I was going to end up losing my Canadian PR if I start going back and forth. At that point I applied for the Returning Resident permit. I wen to Canadian embassy in Seattle. Lady who attended me was very rude and told me that working in the US was not a valid excuse to stay out of Canada for 2 years. Then I claimed that I wanted to go back to Canada to open business there with my US experience within 2 years. Lady finally said "you guys don't love Canada, you just love the US". From there she signed the Returning Resident Permanent residency paper for 2 years. Now, five years have passed and I guess my Canadian PR status is unknown. I guess I could just return if I wanted. Last week I went there to visit a friend (it was raining like crazy in Vancouver, BC) and I entered the country without any questions. Therefore if you manage to get in, I guess all my PR status would still be valid.
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conchshell
06-14 12:43 PM
Dilip,
There are no excuses. You are closing the doors behind and trying to forget the path you came through.
Protectionalism comes from the mere thinking that, some deserve a better and easier life just because they happen to be "born" at some place, or because they happen to be there "earlier", and don't want to be threatened by smarter / hardworking humanity.
Great thoughts. At least there are some on this alias who can think different from all others who are trying to stand on high pseudo moral values, when the basis of their standing up is nothing else but only and only their own self interest.
Have you ever thought about the millions and millions of Bangladeshi immigrants who jump Indian border's to find a job and to feed their families. How many of us apply the same moral values to immigration policies in India. Or does it ever bother you to support India student's suffering in Australia.
So only if you have clarity of thoughts on all these issues, and you support immigration no matter what country you talk about, you have a right to complain about the US immigration policies. Otherwise, tomorrow when domestic market surge in India, you will be the first one, complaining about a low cost engineer coming out from a Nepal or Bangaladesh university.
There are no excuses. You are closing the doors behind and trying to forget the path you came through.
Protectionalism comes from the mere thinking that, some deserve a better and easier life just because they happen to be "born" at some place, or because they happen to be there "earlier", and don't want to be threatened by smarter / hardworking humanity.
Great thoughts. At least there are some on this alias who can think different from all others who are trying to stand on high pseudo moral values, when the basis of their standing up is nothing else but only and only their own self interest.
Have you ever thought about the millions and millions of Bangladeshi immigrants who jump Indian border's to find a job and to feed their families. How many of us apply the same moral values to immigration policies in India. Or does it ever bother you to support India student's suffering in Australia.
So only if you have clarity of thoughts on all these issues, and you support immigration no matter what country you talk about, you have a right to complain about the US immigration policies. Otherwise, tomorrow when domestic market surge in India, you will be the first one, complaining about a low cost engineer coming out from a Nepal or Bangaladesh university.
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txgcfiler
09-03 09:30 AM
May soul rest in peace!
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maximus777
06-05 03:26 PM
There is already a thread working on Government of India to consolidate Pension Fund with Social Security. America already has this type of treaties with few european countries. But looking at the bereaucracy now, this may take next 10-15 years.
I'll take that timeframe as long as such an arrangement can be worked out. Most of us here have 15+ years to retirement. As long as we get back our hard earned money, and as long as the US govt/treasury feels the pain in disbursing billions of dollars into Indian economy. :cool:
I know, I can only wish! :rolleyes:
I'll take that timeframe as long as such an arrangement can be worked out. Most of us here have 15+ years to retirement. As long as we get back our hard earned money, and as long as the US govt/treasury feels the pain in disbursing billions of dollars into Indian economy. :cool:
I know, I can only wish! :rolleyes:
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angelina
07-10 05:15 PM
I am a Canadian citizen, from my experience Canada government does respect more for immigrants, health system is much better, and more elites moved there for higher quality of living standards.
There are also lots of good companies in Canada, where I have gained GOOD experiences.
For professionals like us, at least Canadian government treat us with dignity and as a human being, not like some illegal labour worker lurking in US, we are all LEGAL and proved no local candidates for these jobs. I have been exploited by my company for almost 4 years, current salary is 10K less then standard, even though I have 14 years of working experiences, when it comes to promotion, my boss prefer a fresh graduates and want me to teach him so he can get promoted on top of me.
USICS Recent unconscionable retrogression really top off all previous deeds. We are educated high professionals, it is understable if immigrants are not welcome, but can they do it in a professional way? If so, why not just stop accepting immigration applications? why still accepting our money and leave us in this limbo situation? And creating all the excuses AFTER taking our money?
We are dealing with the government department which suppose to be all professionals and educated people. And this is not some third world countries which law is not a concern, or anybody can be bribed to do anything they want to the public.
Feeling numb should be the best way to deal with all these madness, and fellow professionals I keep praying for us and remember dont let it gets to you emotionally, there will always be a way and everything happens for a reason.
God is watching, He knows and will be the judge and bless all of us.
:)
There are also lots of good companies in Canada, where I have gained GOOD experiences.
For professionals like us, at least Canadian government treat us with dignity and as a human being, not like some illegal labour worker lurking in US, we are all LEGAL and proved no local candidates for these jobs. I have been exploited by my company for almost 4 years, current salary is 10K less then standard, even though I have 14 years of working experiences, when it comes to promotion, my boss prefer a fresh graduates and want me to teach him so he can get promoted on top of me.
USICS Recent unconscionable retrogression really top off all previous deeds. We are educated high professionals, it is understable if immigrants are not welcome, but can they do it in a professional way? If so, why not just stop accepting immigration applications? why still accepting our money and leave us in this limbo situation? And creating all the excuses AFTER taking our money?
We are dealing with the government department which suppose to be all professionals and educated people. And this is not some third world countries which law is not a concern, or anybody can be bribed to do anything they want to the public.
Feeling numb should be the best way to deal with all these madness, and fellow professionals I keep praying for us and remember dont let it gets to you emotionally, there will always be a way and everything happens for a reason.
God is watching, He knows and will be the judge and bless all of us.
:)
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Marphad
05-18 02:54 PM
Marphad, i didn't say that it's wrong or right, you implied he is anti immigrant, spreading rumors and writing un-necessary posts, i just failed to see how you concluded all that just by looking at his profile ? And point taken after you replied.
And isn't the content in his profile all default content (correct me if i'm wrong) when the tracker was introduced, even i had a changeability as US. And i'm not trying to defend him, but you seem to assume it's fake. And the way i see it, it is incomplete.
If one has a fake profile do you really think he will make it so obvious ? it would resemble more accurate data than the most obvious.
And i do know the profile carries on to a on-related immi thread, no doubts there, except it only makes sense looking and analyzing it when related to an immi issue, unless you are looking for something else.
I didn't say it is fake in my first post. I just pointed out that guy that profile has some wrong content that may impact his credibility. His answer was rude and made me upset.
No hard feelings for anyone buddy, we are all going through more or less the same pain.
And isn't the content in his profile all default content (correct me if i'm wrong) when the tracker was introduced, even i had a changeability as US. And i'm not trying to defend him, but you seem to assume it's fake. And the way i see it, it is incomplete.
If one has a fake profile do you really think he will make it so obvious ? it would resemble more accurate data than the most obvious.
And i do know the profile carries on to a on-related immi thread, no doubts there, except it only makes sense looking and analyzing it when related to an immi issue, unless you are looking for something else.
I didn't say it is fake in my first post. I just pointed out that guy that profile has some wrong content that may impact his credibility. His answer was rude and made me upset.
No hard feelings for anyone buddy, we are all going through more or less the same pain.
more...
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gdilla
07-13 12:41 PM
This is the most ridiculous article I've ever seen.
"I should have done my own homework before I applied" - no $hit. What makes you think going to med school in Indian means jack in Canada or the US. You have to get board certified. Duh. And I'm afraid cold calling doesn't work anywhere, including the US... does this work in India? Of course they're not going to listen to you. Jeez. People not doing their due diligence before THEY PACK UP AND MOVE HALF WAY ROUND the world... yeah, that proves to me you are smart enough to hire.
[QUOTE=sankap]Here's an article that appeared in Outlook (India) magazine 8 years ago. Apparently, the situation hasn't changed much since then:
http://outlookindia.com/full.asp?fname=international1&fodname=19990125&sid=1
Canada...The Grass Isn't Greener
Outlook: Jan 25, 1999
It's a dream gone sour. Thousands of Indian immigrants who land up in Canada are, more often than not, greeted with unemployment, racism, culture shocks...
SOHAILA CHARNALIA
"I didn't come here to be a chowkidar. I came here believing it to be a land of opportunity; a country that has never known the nepotism, the corruption, the shortages of India. I find I have only substituted one country for another... certainly not one set of values for another, as I hoped. " For Dr Gurdial Singh Dhillon, who was made to believe his qualifications would land him a good job fast, Canada was a real disappointment. When he did find work, it was that of a security guard. This, when the United Nations has declared Canada the best country to live in.
Some 200,000 people migrate to Canada every year, a majority from Asia. Hong Kong heads the list, followed by India, China, Taiwan and the Philippines. According to the Citizenship & Immigration Canada report, 21,249 Indians migrated to Canada in 1996 alone. (The high commission in Delhi, however, put the figure at 17,682). For many of them, especially those who are qualified professionals, dreams die fast. The life they face is never quite as rosy as made out by money-raking immigration lawyers.
Is the UN report the only reason for the increase in Indian applications for immigration? That, and the fact that it is easier to get entry into Canada than any other western country, says a Delhi-based immigration lawyer. Also, the fastest way of getting immigration to the US is through Canada.
Dhillon's disappointment is echoed by others. "I should have done my own homework before I applied", rues Aparna Shirodhkar, an architect from Mumbai, working as a saleswoman in a department store. "My husband is unemployed. I am the sole earner for a family of four. Sometimes I feel like running back". For Raheela Wasim, who's gone from being a schoolteacher in India to a telemarketer here, the experience was very discouraging, very disheartening. "I started losing confidence in myself. I felt I was not capable of the job market here".
Jobs are the sore point with Indian immigrants. The irony is, they are often more qualified than their Canadian peers, yet they end up with either no work, or with entry-level jobs that have no future. "I was not told that you require a Canadian degree to get a job here", says Paramjeet Parmar, a postgraduate in biochemistry from Bombay University. Parmar works as a telemarketer, which has turned her from an elite professional to an unskilled, daily wage labourer.
Ditto Opinder Khosla, a mechanical engineer from India, who has ended up as a salesman. "I found it difficult to even get an interview call", he says. The Canadian authorities are non-committal about the social and economic devaluation that the country imposes on immigrants.
"You can't come thinking you can just walk in and get a job in your profession", says Isabel Basset, minister of citizenship, culture and recreation, responsible for handling immigrants' woes in Canada's largest province, Ontario. But she admits that the licensing bodies regulating the professions need to be more accepting of people trained elsewhere.
That effort could only come from the government, argues Demetrius Oriopolis, co-author of Access, a government-commissioned report on assessing qualifications of newcomers, a 10-year-old report whose recommendations have still to be implemented. The report suggests certain rules of equivalence should be made binding on the regulatory bodies, which are exclusionist by nature.
But Basset won't even hear of making the regulatory bodies accountable: "We believe in private enterprise with a minimum of government checks. Besides, she argues, the exercise would cost millions of dollars".
Needless to say, the organisations are gleeful. Only professional bodies have the ability to determine what constitutes competence in a particular profession, was the cold response of the spokesperson for the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, an institution that's responsible for the unemployment as well as under-employment of hundreds of qualified chartered accountants from India. They do not grant licences for professional practice, because Indian qualifications are not acceptable.
"What kind of society are we creating? Is it a new form of slavery?" asks an irate Bhausaheb Ubale, Canada's former human rights commissioner. Qualified immigrants work as drivers, guards. If this isn't job discrimination, what is? Dr Ubale lobbied intensely before Indians were accepted in the media. They now hold jobs as reporters and anchors, he says, but a lot more has to be done.
While skilled men may not be able to find jobs, their less qualified wives find it easier because they accept whatever comes their way. In several cases, the wives earn and support their husbands who are busy upgrading themselves, by studying for a Canadian degree. The working wife sometimes slogs away at three jobs. Sumitra starts at 7 am at her first job, teaching immigrants English; her second job as telemarketer starts at 4 pm. She gets back home around 8 pm, after which she begins selling cosmetics and household goods door to door. Till midnight. Sumitra supports three students, her husband and two school-going children.
The other problems Indians face here are the high taxes, high mortgage payments for new homes and the sort of hidebound laws that the benign anarchy back home hardly prepares them for. "You can't run a red light, you can't escape from a hit-and-run site even if you are just the witness, you can't smoke in public. Too many rules, so different from home", says Harminder Singh.
Two 'Indian' practices that do exist here, however, cause immigrants the maximum trouble. They are sifarish baazi (nepotism) and mufat ka kaam (free work). The Canadians, of course, have given them sophisticated terminologies, the former is referred to as 'networking' and the latter, 'volunteerism'. In a country where you are never encouraged to 'drop in' to meet someone, where the fax, the computer or the phone is used to complete most transactions, a job-seeking immigrant often has the phone put down on him. Polite but firm secretaries block access, unless the caller can drop a magic name that can help him gain entry. It takes at least a year for even the most enterprising immigrant to get to know somebody who can help him, before he can get a job at all.
'Networking' goes hand in hand with 'volunteerism'. Many immigrants put in a year of free service before they are given the job. Most writers and anchors of Asian origin are given only part-time jobs, paid by assignment and with no fringe benefits. The company insists on the word 'freelance' on their business cards, to make it clear they have not been hired by the company, and hence can't demand higher pay or any benefits. They can, and often are, fired at will.
Perhaps the greatest problem in Canada is the one that is least articulated--racism. According to a diversity report on Toronto (said to be the most ethnically diverse city in the world), the year 2000 will see its minority becoming its majority that is, 54 per cent of Toronto's population by the end of the millennium will be non-Whites. Keeping that in mind, it warned, if the discrimination against them in education, employment, income and housing, or incidents of hate are not addressed, it will lead to a growing sense of frustration.
"All our problems exist because of racism", sums up Anita Ferrao, who works in a firm. Anita has worked for them for three years and has got neither promotion nor raise. "As an Indian immigrant, you can never reach the top. They'll see to that. It's better to bring in some money here and start a business. It's the only way you'll do well here and be respected. "
But then if life is so tough here, why do people give up everything back home and come? The answer is the rosy picture of North America, inculcated right from childhood. Everything 'American' is considered superior. Better food, better homes, better life.
"I should have done my own homework before I applied" - no $hit. What makes you think going to med school in Indian means jack in Canada or the US. You have to get board certified. Duh. And I'm afraid cold calling doesn't work anywhere, including the US... does this work in India? Of course they're not going to listen to you. Jeez. People not doing their due diligence before THEY PACK UP AND MOVE HALF WAY ROUND the world... yeah, that proves to me you are smart enough to hire.
[QUOTE=sankap]Here's an article that appeared in Outlook (India) magazine 8 years ago. Apparently, the situation hasn't changed much since then:
http://outlookindia.com/full.asp?fname=international1&fodname=19990125&sid=1
Canada...The Grass Isn't Greener
Outlook: Jan 25, 1999
It's a dream gone sour. Thousands of Indian immigrants who land up in Canada are, more often than not, greeted with unemployment, racism, culture shocks...
SOHAILA CHARNALIA
"I didn't come here to be a chowkidar. I came here believing it to be a land of opportunity; a country that has never known the nepotism, the corruption, the shortages of India. I find I have only substituted one country for another... certainly not one set of values for another, as I hoped. " For Dr Gurdial Singh Dhillon, who was made to believe his qualifications would land him a good job fast, Canada was a real disappointment. When he did find work, it was that of a security guard. This, when the United Nations has declared Canada the best country to live in.
Some 200,000 people migrate to Canada every year, a majority from Asia. Hong Kong heads the list, followed by India, China, Taiwan and the Philippines. According to the Citizenship & Immigration Canada report, 21,249 Indians migrated to Canada in 1996 alone. (The high commission in Delhi, however, put the figure at 17,682). For many of them, especially those who are qualified professionals, dreams die fast. The life they face is never quite as rosy as made out by money-raking immigration lawyers.
Is the UN report the only reason for the increase in Indian applications for immigration? That, and the fact that it is easier to get entry into Canada than any other western country, says a Delhi-based immigration lawyer. Also, the fastest way of getting immigration to the US is through Canada.
Dhillon's disappointment is echoed by others. "I should have done my own homework before I applied", rues Aparna Shirodhkar, an architect from Mumbai, working as a saleswoman in a department store. "My husband is unemployed. I am the sole earner for a family of four. Sometimes I feel like running back". For Raheela Wasim, who's gone from being a schoolteacher in India to a telemarketer here, the experience was very discouraging, very disheartening. "I started losing confidence in myself. I felt I was not capable of the job market here".
Jobs are the sore point with Indian immigrants. The irony is, they are often more qualified than their Canadian peers, yet they end up with either no work, or with entry-level jobs that have no future. "I was not told that you require a Canadian degree to get a job here", says Paramjeet Parmar, a postgraduate in biochemistry from Bombay University. Parmar works as a telemarketer, which has turned her from an elite professional to an unskilled, daily wage labourer.
Ditto Opinder Khosla, a mechanical engineer from India, who has ended up as a salesman. "I found it difficult to even get an interview call", he says. The Canadian authorities are non-committal about the social and economic devaluation that the country imposes on immigrants.
"You can't come thinking you can just walk in and get a job in your profession", says Isabel Basset, minister of citizenship, culture and recreation, responsible for handling immigrants' woes in Canada's largest province, Ontario. But she admits that the licensing bodies regulating the professions need to be more accepting of people trained elsewhere.
That effort could only come from the government, argues Demetrius Oriopolis, co-author of Access, a government-commissioned report on assessing qualifications of newcomers, a 10-year-old report whose recommendations have still to be implemented. The report suggests certain rules of equivalence should be made binding on the regulatory bodies, which are exclusionist by nature.
But Basset won't even hear of making the regulatory bodies accountable: "We believe in private enterprise with a minimum of government checks. Besides, she argues, the exercise would cost millions of dollars".
Needless to say, the organisations are gleeful. Only professional bodies have the ability to determine what constitutes competence in a particular profession, was the cold response of the spokesperson for the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, an institution that's responsible for the unemployment as well as under-employment of hundreds of qualified chartered accountants from India. They do not grant licences for professional practice, because Indian qualifications are not acceptable.
"What kind of society are we creating? Is it a new form of slavery?" asks an irate Bhausaheb Ubale, Canada's former human rights commissioner. Qualified immigrants work as drivers, guards. If this isn't job discrimination, what is? Dr Ubale lobbied intensely before Indians were accepted in the media. They now hold jobs as reporters and anchors, he says, but a lot more has to be done.
While skilled men may not be able to find jobs, their less qualified wives find it easier because they accept whatever comes their way. In several cases, the wives earn and support their husbands who are busy upgrading themselves, by studying for a Canadian degree. The working wife sometimes slogs away at three jobs. Sumitra starts at 7 am at her first job, teaching immigrants English; her second job as telemarketer starts at 4 pm. She gets back home around 8 pm, after which she begins selling cosmetics and household goods door to door. Till midnight. Sumitra supports three students, her husband and two school-going children.
The other problems Indians face here are the high taxes, high mortgage payments for new homes and the sort of hidebound laws that the benign anarchy back home hardly prepares them for. "You can't run a red light, you can't escape from a hit-and-run site even if you are just the witness, you can't smoke in public. Too many rules, so different from home", says Harminder Singh.
Two 'Indian' practices that do exist here, however, cause immigrants the maximum trouble. They are sifarish baazi (nepotism) and mufat ka kaam (free work). The Canadians, of course, have given them sophisticated terminologies, the former is referred to as 'networking' and the latter, 'volunteerism'. In a country where you are never encouraged to 'drop in' to meet someone, where the fax, the computer or the phone is used to complete most transactions, a job-seeking immigrant often has the phone put down on him. Polite but firm secretaries block access, unless the caller can drop a magic name that can help him gain entry. It takes at least a year for even the most enterprising immigrant to get to know somebody who can help him, before he can get a job at all.
'Networking' goes hand in hand with 'volunteerism'. Many immigrants put in a year of free service before they are given the job. Most writers and anchors of Asian origin are given only part-time jobs, paid by assignment and with no fringe benefits. The company insists on the word 'freelance' on their business cards, to make it clear they have not been hired by the company, and hence can't demand higher pay or any benefits. They can, and often are, fired at will.
Perhaps the greatest problem in Canada is the one that is least articulated--racism. According to a diversity report on Toronto (said to be the most ethnically diverse city in the world), the year 2000 will see its minority becoming its majority that is, 54 per cent of Toronto's population by the end of the millennium will be non-Whites. Keeping that in mind, it warned, if the discrimination against them in education, employment, income and housing, or incidents of hate are not addressed, it will lead to a growing sense of frustration.
"All our problems exist because of racism", sums up Anita Ferrao, who works in a firm. Anita has worked for them for three years and has got neither promotion nor raise. "As an Indian immigrant, you can never reach the top. They'll see to that. It's better to bring in some money here and start a business. It's the only way you'll do well here and be respected. "
But then if life is so tough here, why do people give up everything back home and come? The answer is the rosy picture of North America, inculcated right from childhood. Everything 'American' is considered superior. Better food, better homes, better life.
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Abhinaym
01-13 01:45 PM
Just more ways to perpetuate their buereaucracy and make the lives of legal immigrants (and non-immigrants) tougher.
Almost every rule these stupid agencies make is against small businesses.
Almost every rule these stupid agencies make is against small businesses.
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kuhelica2000
02-16 12:41 PM
Defending one's country is one thing and defending fraud and corruption is another thing. Yes, there are lots of great universitites in India like IITs, IIMs, and several Regional Engineering Colleges. But guess what, when it comes to EB2/EB3 genuine IITs and overnight (okay maybe three months) bodyshop graduates are treated the same way. It is for the sake of our profession that we need to weed out these frauds.
Don't make corruption in India as an incentive to thrash Indians. Majority of Indian H1b/L1 like any other community are well skilled professionals. It should not give you an incentive to thrash Indians or India. I am sure you belong to India and I am pretty depressed to see some one trash his own country to get some cheap publicity on this blog. I am not playing a race card but Yes I will defend Indians or Chinese for any attacks by bigots like you.
Don't make corruption in India as an incentive to thrash Indians. Majority of Indian H1b/L1 like any other community are well skilled professionals. It should not give you an incentive to thrash Indians or India. I am sure you belong to India and I am pretty depressed to see some one trash his own country to get some cheap publicity on this blog. I am not playing a race card but Yes I will defend Indians or Chinese for any attacks by bigots like you.
jsb
06-08 10:59 AM
:) I thought it was understood by now, that without changes in law, there is no "speedup" (for 485 approvals). USCIS has been super efficient recently, what is missing is the "visa number".
Trying to change laws sensitive to long term residents and citizens, by those wanting to be residents is a tough task. What is possible, which we should keep trying for, is to make suitable interpretive changes, in the form of clarifications, which do not appear to be a major shift to what have been US long term policies.
For example, trying to do away with country quota would be very hard, as it is so sensitive for the main stream residents. Making it apply in overall immigration from a country rather than I-485 cases might work. Strong argument could be that EB I-485 candidates are highly qualified and are living in the US anyway. Therefore, applying any diversity rule on them does not make sense. However, country quota may continue to be applied for those who are not yet in the US, i.e. family based cases, or those EB candidates applying from their home countries with appropriate prioritization (for example, spouse joining may get highest priority).
Trying to change laws sensitive to long term residents and citizens, by those wanting to be residents is a tough task. What is possible, which we should keep trying for, is to make suitable interpretive changes, in the form of clarifications, which do not appear to be a major shift to what have been US long term policies.
For example, trying to do away with country quota would be very hard, as it is so sensitive for the main stream residents. Making it apply in overall immigration from a country rather than I-485 cases might work. Strong argument could be that EB I-485 candidates are highly qualified and are living in the US anyway. Therefore, applying any diversity rule on them does not make sense. However, country quota may continue to be applied for those who are not yet in the US, i.e. family based cases, or those EB candidates applying from their home countries with appropriate prioritization (for example, spouse joining may get highest priority).
richana
07-30 12:02 PM
Why are the idiots in here hating on me, sending me pm's and giving me red, it was con(sensual)....lol. You can hate on me but I got it and yes the wine was a very nice 2004 cask cab sauv
