March 2005  20,000 H-1B Visas Now Available U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) currently is preparing regulations for the implementation of the Omnibus Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2005.  Pursuant to an exemption established under this Act, USCIS will be able to process additional petitions for H-1B workers for FY 2005.  The immigration service has just changed its position and will accept applications for all H-1B candidates, not just those with a graduate degree from a US college. The available petitions for FY 2005 will be applied to all qualified H-1B nonimmigrant aliens, and will not be limited to those individuals holding a master’s degree or higher degree from a U.S. institution of higher learning.   The effective date is March 8, 2005.  However, USCIS advises employers not to file H-1B petitions until USCIS publishes a rule concerning the Visa Reform Act and related issues.  Infact, USCIS has stated it will reject any new H-1B petition that is received prior to the filing date set forth in the regulations.   For more information please contact our US office at 603-228-1277.     USCIS EXTENDS COMMENT PERIOD FOR PROPOSED CHANGE TO H-2B PROGRAM   U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it is extending the public comment period for a proposed rule that would significantly alter the H-2B program.  Starting with the date the extension notice publishes in the Federal Register, individuals can submit public comments to USCIS for an additional 30 days.   The H-2B program allows U.S. employers to request foreign workers to fill a one-time, peak load, intermittent, or seasonal need for labor when no workers are available in the local job force.  Among other things, the new rule would:   Ø       Establish a one-step petition process for U.S. employers seeking H-2B temporary workers, Ø       Require electronic filing of the Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker (Form I-129) in most instances, Ø       With limited exceptions, eliminate the need for U.S. employers to obtain a labor certification for the Department of Labor, and Ø       Establish new management mechanisms allowing USCIS to maintain the integrity of the program.   Under the proposed one-step process, most employers will no longer be required to file for a labor certification from the Department of Labor before filing a petition with the Department of Homeland Security.  In the future, most employers will file a petition directly with Homeland Security after conducting their recruitment for U.S. workers.   These regulations are merely proposals for public consideration and comment.  Existing H-2B regulations and policies remain in force until further notice.  The issuance of these proposed regulations does not change the statutory cap of 66,000 H-2B nonimmigrant visas which are available each fiscal year.  USCIS previously announced that the cap for FY 05 has already been met as of January 3, 2005.     National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Announced the Date and Locations for the Summer 2005 Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination   According to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) the next FPGEE examination will be held on June 25, 2005 and offered at the following three (3) locations: Northlake (Chicago), IL; New York City; and San Mateo, CA. NABP will continue to accept FPGEC applications.   Registration Letters for the June 25, 2005 examination will be mailed in early spring 2005, to those who have been accepted to sit for the exam. We recommend you waiting to receive your Registration Letters before making any travel arrangements for the exam.   After the examination, NABP will mail your FPGEC examination results to the address on your Score Report Address Form approximately 8 to 10 weeks after the test date. Your score cannot be obtained earlier and will not be reported by telephone, fax, or e-mail.   For more information and FAQs please see the 'Online Resources' section  of this newsletter below.   Please contact our U.S. office at 603-228-1277 or our Paris office at 01.44.71.35.28 if you have any questions!     CERTIFICATION PROGRAM - 2005 Exam Dates and Locations   CGFNS has announced the dates of its Qualifying Exam for 2005.  Application deadlines listed below cannot be extended.  The dates and deadlines are as follows:   Examination Date Deadline for NEW Applications Deadline for Re-Applications Location/Test Date Change Deadline March 9, 2005 December 08, 2004 January 05,2005 December 29, 2004 July 13, 2005 April 13, 2005 May 11, 2005 May 04, 2005 September 21, 2005 June 22, 2005 July 20, 2005 July 13, 2005 November 9, 2005 August 10, 2005 September 07, 2005 August 31, 2005              September Special Administration Exam Locations are:   US Centers International Centers Chicago, Illinois – Center 501 Copenhagen, Denmark – Center 819 Houston, Texas – Center 510 Cochin, India – Center 851 Miami, Florida – Center 530 Cebu City, Philippines – Center 907 New York, New York – Center 540 Abuja, Nigeria – Center 925   CGFNS Reserves the Right to Close Any Exam Center If the Situation Warrants.     DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROVES CGFNS TO CONTINUE CERTIFYING FOREIGN-BORN HEALTH CARE WORKERS   The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) and its division, the International Commission on Healthcare Professions (ICHP), have been approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to continue certifying internationally-born health care workers in seven occupations covered under section 212 (a)(5)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).    The approval is valid for five years and comprises a visa credentials assessment certification for: Nurses (registered and licensed vocational nurses) Physical therapists Speech-language pathologists and audiologists Medical technologists Medical technicians Occupational therapists, and Physician assistants   For more information about the FPGEE examination and to see the FAQs please visit: http://www.nabp.net/faq/faqfpgee.asp   See www.cgfns.org for details about the CGFNS Special Administration. If you have any comments on our newsletter, any topics you would like to see reviewed or if you have news, events or other items of interest that you would like to share - please forward your comments and suggestions to abouley@goffandwilson.com. Copyright 2004 Goff and Wilson Professional Association - www.goffandwilson.com - unsubscribe One Capitol St., PO Box 347, Concord, NH 03302-0347 v: 603.228.1277    f: 603.226.0791    info@goffandwilson.com