A Good Lawyer For H-1B Petition Work Near Austin Texas ???

Q: Can anyone also recommed a good lawyer in the Austin Texas area? for the following case: This is for a friend who has asked me to post this. He is a PhD researcher presently working on practical training which expires on August 30. He applied for NIW in Texas but that has not come through yet. Now he is worried and wants to apply for an H-1B status. We checked the time for H1-B processing and it is around 3 months. Can he still get an H-1B before August 30? If his H1-B is filed before August 30 but not approved will he have to stop working at his job on August 30 until his H-1B petition is approved?

A: This is Tammy Fox-Isicoff at the Law Offices Of Michael Bander. I can be reached at 305-358-5800. I can help your friend although I am an immigration lawyer in Miami. I will need his degree, a copy of his I-94 and passport, his foreign address, the company's tax i.d., name, address, phone, fax, no. of employees, date established, gross and net income, salary they will be paying your friend, and a description of the position, in order to do the H expeditiously. However, honestly, all petitions in the S.U.S. go through Tx. and Tx. is taking over 60 days right now on those

petitions. I would advise your friend to act fast. Maybe his will sail through. The first step toward obtaining the H is to file a labor condition application (this normally requires obtaining a prevailing wage determination from the state job service, which can take up to 2 wks.), the LCA normally takes about 10 days ). All this needs to be done before the H can be filed with immigration. Immigration used to approve H petitions in 2 wks. If they catch up, it is possible your friend will make it, but unlikely. I would be happy to help him. Please contact me on Tuesday at my office, if you need my assist. and fax the infro. to 305-374-6593. I will be in Ct. on Monday.