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Immigration authorities have received about 300,000 applications for high-skilled-employment visas since July 1, federal officials said Friday, a deluge unleashed after the federal government first said it would not accept any applications for those visas during July and then reversed course. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the federal agency, was still receiving applications for employment visas Friday, the last day of a special period it announced July 17 for immigrants with professional skills to file petitions for permanent residence visas, known as green cards. As a result, the total tally of applications received in the last six weeks was not available.

The agency admitted it was swamped by the applications it had already received, which was more than double the annual limit of 140,000 employment visas.

According to official figures, in the three months before July the agency received an average of 54,700 applications a month for all green cards, including employment visas and those based on family ties. Applications were already surging then as foreigners sought to file papers before higher processing fees took effect July 30.

Presenting their applications did not guarantee that immigrants would receive their green cards quickly, since the annual limit remains the same. All the applications did was ensure the immigrants a place on the list for green cards.

The visa roller-coaster ride began June 12, when

the State Department announced that visas would be available in July for a variety of professional immigrants, including doctors, nurses and people with advanced degrees and technology skills. Before they can apply, they must obtain certification from the federal government that no American workers are available for their jobs.

After thousands hurried to prepare applications, the State Department said abruptly July 2 that no visas would be available after all because Citizen and Immigration Services had accelerated its processing and claimed them. After a nationwide outcry from lawyers, at least one lawsuit and a reprimand from San Jose Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who is chairwoman of an immigration subcommittee, the federal agencies relented July 17, saying applications would be received for four weeks.

Author: Julia Preston From: http://www.mercurynews.com/nationworld/ci_6656622

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