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(a) Definitions.

The following terms relate directly to the H-1B temporary worker classification.

Adjudicators should be familiar with these terms.

Some of the terms have been used
        a) in other contexts
                i) under prior law.

(1) Specialty Occupation.

The term ��specialty occupation�� is
        a) defined
                i) in section 214(i)(1) of the Act and
        b) described
                i) in 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(ii).

The term was created
        a) by the Immigration Act of 1990 (IMMACT),

1) although its definition was taken
        a) from prior case law
                i) which related to ��professional�� occupations
                        (a) which qualified for pre-IMMACT H-1 status.

An alien may qualify for a specialty occupation
        a) by virtue of
                i) formal education,
                ii) experience, or
                iii) a combination of both.

However,

do not rely on pre-IMMACT precedent case law (i.e., for the professional occupations)
        a) for guidance on specialty occupations.

While there are no published precedent decisions
        a) on this subject,

1) service centers
        a) (where virtually all such cases are filed)

    may find prior non-published appellate orders
        a) as useful guidance and training material.

For statistical purposes,

this category is referred to internally
        a) as H-1B1.

(2) Distinguished Merit and Ability.

As currently applied,

this term originates
        a) in section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)
                i) relating solely to fashion models.

Prior to IMMACT,

the term was more broadly applied to
        a) artists,
        b) entertainers,
        c) musicians, etc.

Case law
        a) which relates to this term

1) relates to the earlier definition and
2) should not be applied to new cases.

Fashion models are described
        a) in 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(vii)(A).

See also the definition of ��prominence��
        a) located in 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(ii).

For statistical purposes,

this category is referred to internally
        a) as H-1B3.

(3) DOD (Department of Defense) Cooperative Research Project.

The term ��DOD researcher�� is described
        a) in 8 CFR 214.2(h)(4)(vi)(A).

The term is used
        a) to distinguish these H-1B cases
                i) from other H-1B cases.

It should be noted that
        a) unlike the other H-1B cases,
        b) the DOD Researchers do not require a labor condition application.

Beneficiaries
        a) of such cases

1) must otherwise meet the education and experience qualifications
        a) described for a specialty occupation.

For statistical purposes,

this category is referred to internally
        a) as H-1B2.

(4) Physicians.

Physicians
        a) in the H-1B classification

1) are limited to those
        a) described in section 212(j)(2) of the Act.

A petition
        a) for an alien physician
                i) coming to the United States
                        A) to teach or
                        B) conduct research or
                                I) both
                                        (a) at or
                                        (b) for
                                                (i) a public or
                                                (ii) nonprofit private
                                                        (A) educational or
                                                        (B) research
                                                                (I) institution or
                                                                (II) agency,
                                                                
                                II) in which no patient care will be performed
                                        (a) except that
                                                (i) which is incidental
                                                        (A) to the physician��s
                                                                (I) teaching and
                                                                (II) research

1) may be adjudicated
        a) like a petition
                i) for an alien
                        (a) coming to perform services
                                (i) in a specialty occupation.


If no patient care is involved,

1) neither
        a) a license or
        b) authorization
                i) from the state

   needs to be submitted.

A petition
        a) for an alien physician
                i) involved in direct patient care

1) must be accompanied
        a) by the following:

                i) An approved labor condition application;

                ii) A license or other authorization
                        (a) required by the state
                        (b) of intended employment
                        (c) to practice medicine

                        1) if
                                (i) the physician will perform direct patient care and
                                (ii) the state requires the license or authorization;

                iii)         (a) A full and unrestricted license
                                (i) to practice medicine
                                        (A) in a foreign state or
                        (b) evidence
                                (i) that the beneficiary has graduated
                                        (A) from a medical school
                                                (I) in the United States or
                                                (II) in a foreign state;

                iv) Evidence
                        (a) that the alien has passed
                                (i) the Federal Licensing Examination (FLEX) or
                                (ii) an equivalent examination
                                        (A) as determined
                                                (I) by the Secretary of Health and Human Services

                        1) unless the alien received his/her medical education
                                (i) in the United States; and

–                v) Evidence
                        (a) that the alien has passed the English test
                                (i) given by the Educational Commission
                                        (A) of Foreign Medical Graduates
                                        (B) (ECFMG)
                                (ii) to establish competency
                                        (A) in oral and written English language

                        1) unless the alien has received his/her medical education
                                (i) in Canada or the United States.

Note 1:

The Secretary of Health and Human Services announced the physician licensing examinations
        a) which will be considered equivalent
                i) to the FLEX.

        a) Parts I, II, and III
                i) of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), and
        b) Steps 1, 2, and 3 examinations
                i) of the new United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE) program,

1) have been recognized by the Secretary
        a) as equivalent to the FLEX.

Note 2:

Physicians
        a) who received their graduate medical training
                i) in Canada

1) must take
        a) the FLEX, or
        b) its equivalent.

Many times Canadian MD��s can get reciprocal U.S. state licenses
        a) based upon their holding Canadian licenses to practice medicine.

Even so,

they must still take the FLEX
        a) to become eligible for H-1B classification

1) if they intend
        a) to perform direct patient care.

Furthermore,

pursuant to a determination
        a) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),

1) the Licentiate
        a) of the Medical Council of Canada (LMCC)

    is not equivalent to the FLEX.

(b) Labor Condition Application.

As defined
        a) in section 212(n)(1) of the Act,

a Labor Condition Application (LCA) is a statement
        a) filed with the Department of Labor (DOL)
                i) on Form ETA 9035
                ii) by a prospective H-1B employer
        b) certifying:
                i) That the alien
                        (a) hired in a specialty occupation
                                (i) (or as a fashion model)

                   will be paid at least
                        (a) the same wage
                                (i) as other similarly employed persons or
                        (b) the prevailing wage
                                (i) for the occupation
                                        (A) in the area of employment;
                ii) That the alien will be provided
                        (a) with working conditions
                                (i) which will have no adverse effect
                                        (A) on other similarly employed persons;
                iii) That no strike or lockout is in progress; and
                iv) (If the employer is a ��dependent employer��
                        i) as defined in section 212(n)(3)(A) of the Act)
        
                        that no U.S. worker
                                (i) has been or
                                (ii) will be
                                        (A) displaced
                                                (I) as a result of the H-1B alien��s employment.


NOTE:

Certain employers,
        a) such as
                i) willful violators and
                ii) dependent employers

1) must make additional attestations.

Other details
        a) about LCA requirements

1) are described in section 212(n).

An LCA may be valid
        a) for a period up to three years.

[See 20 CFR 655, Subpart H, for a description of DOL handling procedures for an LCA.]

The LCA,
        a) which may be a photocopy of the original,

1) must be valid
        a) for the period of time
                i) requested for the petition.

The dates
        a) of intended employment

1) cannot extend
        a) outside the dates
                i) on the LCA.

Multiple unnamed beneficiaries may be included
        a) on the LCA,

1) however the petitioner must reference,
        a) by file number,
        b) all previously approved petitions
                i) that used the same LCA.

Furthermore,

once a slot
        a) on the LCA

   has been used
        a) for a specific alien,

1) that slot cannot be used
        a) for another alien
2) even if the original alien leaves the job
        a) permanently
        b) before the LCA has expired.

If the alien will be performing the same duties
        a) at another location
        b) for the same employer

1) a single LCA can be filed
2) if:
        a) The LCA is filed with the DOL regional office
                i) having jurisdiction
                        (a) over the initial place of employment; and
        b) All places
                i) of employment

            are within a single DOL regional office.

Note:

Approval
        a) by the DOL
        b) of an LCA
        c) in an occupational classification

1) does not constitute a determination
        a) by that agency
        b) that the occupation in question is a specialty occupation.

(c) ACWIA Compliance.

As of March 30, 2000,

all H-1B petitions must include Form I-129W,
        a) H-1B Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption.

As the name implies,

the form is used
        a) to adjudicate requests for exemption
                i) from the additional filing fee ($1,000)
                        (a) mandated by the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (ACWIA).

In addition,

the form is used
        a) to collect certain statistical data
                i) regarding
                        (a) the education,
                        (b) training and
                        (c) occupations
                                (i) of H-1B beneficiaries.

The regulations
        a) at 8 CFR 214.2(h)(19)

1) describe the requirements
        a) for this exemption.

(d) Documentation.

(1) General.

        a) The regulations and
        b) instructions

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