Category: Evaluations

Understanding “Research Only” Ph.D. Programs: A Closer Look

Posted by: Park Evaluations

By: Howard Borenstein I would like to devote this blog post to discussing the “research only” Ph.D. programs. The impetus for this is that over the past month, we have received two RFE’s specifically on Greek Ph.D. programs claiming that a Ph.D. from Greece was not equivalent to a Ph.D. in the US. This is despite the fact that Greece only offers research-based and not classroom-based Ph.D. programs. AACRAO EDGE is clear that the Ph.D. degree from Greece is indeed equivalent to an earned doctorate in the United States. The nature of the challenges I have seen, in my opinion, reveals USCIS’ specific understanding of higher education. Namely, that a bachelor’s ...

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Credential Evaluation Update: Equivalency Changes to Indian MCA Degrees

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By: Howard Borenstein In a 2020 development, India’s University Grants Commission approved a change in duration for the Indian Master of Computer Applications (MCA) degree— the MCA was shortened to a two-year program. This update is significant as students have now completed and are graduating from this new program. Formerly spanning three years of study, the program has transitioned to a two-year structure, starting with the class of 2020-21. The All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) stated the decision was prompted by a decrease in enrollment of students coming from backgrounds not related to Computer Science, such as Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry. When the program was first introduced in ...

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Attorney Spotlight: Nancy Shalhub of Ogletree Deakins

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By Ryan Mernin Ryan recently caught up with Nancy Shalhub of Ogletree Deakins to discuss the relatively new H-1B lottery and other potential immigration policy changes. This entry in our Attorney Spotlight series continues our focus on emerging challenges and changes in the business immigration world. Q: What visas does your firm typically handle? Nancy: Ogletree Deakins has one of the nation’s largest business immigration practices, providing premier immigration services for nearly 28 years. Our largest corporate immigration clients are Fortune ...

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Attorney Spotlight: Shai Dayan

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Our very own Emily Grant sat down with Shai Dayan, Senior Counsel at Gibney, Anthony & Flaherty, LLP, for our latest Attorney Spotlight Series.Thank you Shai for sharing your astute thoughts and predictions on where our business immigration industry is heading!

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The National Interest Waiver: How to Prove a Beneficiary is Beneficial

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The National Interest Waiver: How to Prove a Beneficiary is Beneficial

  By Maddie Carlson  What is a National Interest Waiver and how can you get one? As one might expect from the name alone, having an offer of employment is typically required for individuals seeking an EB-2 employment-based, second preference visa. But in certain cases, a candidate may want to waive the employment requirement and labor certification portion of the EB-2 petition process. This commonly occurs when an applicant displays expertise in their industry and is seeking work that would benefit the United States. In these cases, the candidate may qualify for a National Interest Waiver (NIW) that would remove the need for a pre-established employment offer. However, pursuing a National Interest Waiver does add to the petitioner’s burden of proof. In addition ...

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The O-1: Eight Ways to Identify Extraordinary Ability

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By Maddie Carlson When a beneficiary’s innovations have been recognized either nationally or internationally, an O-1 visa may be the ideal application process for highlighting their importance to their field. An O-1, or Extraordinary Ability or Achievement letter, focuses on up to eight different criteria that demonstrate an individual’s excellence in their career. The O-1A details a beneficiary’s excellence in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics. This visa can also be further specified as an O-1B, which focuses on individuals with extraordinary ability and achievement in the motion picture or television industry. Forming an O-1 application requires enough evidence to build a case that the beneficiary is indeed hard to come by ...

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TN Visas 101: What They Are and How Park Evaluations Can Help

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By Madison McKenzie   What is a TN visa?   The TN visa is a special classification issued under the United-States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 2020. Under this classification, citizens of Mexico or Canada can fill certain specialty occupations—listed under the approved list of USMCA professions—in the United States for an initial period of three years.     What eligibility requirements must be met to file a TN visa?   As outlined by USCIS, an applicant is eligible for a TN visa if they meet the following criteria:   The applicant must be a citizen of Mexico or Canada. The applicant must have a pre-arranged job offer in the United States. The proffered position in the United States must qualify as ...

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A Close Look at the Looming USCIS Furloughs and What’s Being Done to Prevent It

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By: Rachel Horner A new emergency bill was created and passed over the weekend in an attempt to halt the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) furloughs set to happen August 30 (originally August 3). Of the nearly 20,000 employees, 13,400 are to be possibly furloughed at the end of the month. What brought all of this on? Like the U.S. Post Office, USCIS is not funded by taxes. Its funding is generated through the fees it charges to applicants seeking U.S. citizenship or Visas to visit the country. A decrease in number of petitions points to one of the main reasons behind the proposed furloughs. As the Trump Administration enacted more restrictive policies, such as ending Temporary Protected Status for ...

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Outside the H: Park takes on the L, O, and other specialized visas.

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Outside the H: Park takes on the L, O, and other specialized visas.

By: Ryan Mernin Park is well-known throughout business immigration for specialty occupation expert opinion letters for H-1B visa petitions. However, Park also services L-1, O-1, EB, and a host of other visas offered by the United States government. In this series, “Thinking Outside the H,” we take a look at the unique challenges posed by these other visas, starting here, in this article, with the L-1B “specialized knowledge” petition. The L-1B: How to Make Specialized Knowledge Stand Out in Your Petition When it comes to filing an L-1 petition, perhaps the most difficult thing to do is gauge what USCIS is prone to challenge in your case. If you’re a client is a company executive transferring to the United ...

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CASE STUDY: Is “Business Administration” Too General for Specialty Occupation?

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CASE STUDY: Is “Business Administration” Too General for Specialty Occupation?

By: Mark Anthony Rogers If you’re an immigration attorney or a petitioner seeking an H-1B visa, the degree requirement of a Bachelor’s in Business Administration can be a real headache. You know that even though the position is a specialty occupation, the term “Business Administration” is an obstacle, that it’s sometimes seen as “too general” by USCIS. You might be tempted to avoid the term “Business Administration” altogether when filing for fear of USCIS challenging the specialty nature of the position. The Challenge Park has handled this problem before. In this case, the RFE challenged read as follows: “The OOH does not indicate that Finance Manager positions normally require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a specific specialty. ...

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