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In recent years, computer programmers applying for H-1B visa status have run into approval issues.  This is because the position’s entry in the Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook states that to be employed in this position the applicant must hold an Associate’s Degree, rather than a Bachelor’s Degree, even though a Bachelor’s Degree educational […]

The first of FY2024 is coming up fast, and that means the last rounds of RFEs are in full swing.  Education RFEs are common hangups for H-1B candidates because pathways through education are as varied as there are beneficiaries.  One education issue that may seem insurmountable is when a beneficiary has absolutely no college education. […]

Specialty Occupation RFES have become a perennial issue facing H-1B applicants.  At CCI TheDegreePeople.com, we answer these RFEs with an expert opinion letter written by an expert in the field of the H-1B job with extensive experience working in the field including making hiring decisions regarding the H-1B position.  We ask our clients to provide […]

The secret is out.  Career and vocational colleges offer an affordable alternative to four-year universities and colleges.  These educational paths also offer a streamlined education to employment pipeline, with instructors who are also field professionals and skills training directly applicable to the workforce students will soon enter.  It’s not just US nationals who are making […]

On May 3, 2023, Utah State Law SB35 took effect, giving foreign professionals who have earned a range of professional licenses outside of the United States the opportunity to be licensed and practice in the State.  This prevents internationally trained professionals from having to jump through regulatory hoops, repeat education and professional training, take redundant […]

Every year, qualified H-1B beneficiaries with Three-Year Bachelor’s degrees from India are hit with education RFEs.  USCIS requires that H-1B beneficiaries hold a US Bachelor’s degree or higher, which typically takes four years to complete.  While the Indian Three-Year Bachelor’s degree has the same or greater classroom contact hours as the US Four-Year Bachelor’s degree, […]

There are many educational pathways that lead to skill attainment.  Some of them are entirely academic. Some begin in college and then end in the workplace rather than with degree completion.  Some are entirely experiential.  However, USCIS needs to see the US academic equivalency to circuitous educational journeys. Last year, an H-1B beneficiary came to […]

The most common RFE reported by H-1B applicants has been Specialty Occupation issues.  However, this issue often arrives in tandem with Wage Level issues, creating the Double RFE.  Applicants for computer programmer jobs, entry level positions, and those making level one wages are at highest risk of this complex RFE. Here’s how it works: USCIS […]

Complex RFEs occur when USCIS finds one red flag in an H-1B petition, triggering a deeper scrutiny of the case.  This is when the chaos of USCIS approval trends kicks in and wreaks havoc on an otherwise unremarkable petition.  Instead of approval, or even a simple RFE, applicants are met with an RFE that calls […]