HLG Blog: Legislation in 2008?
Read about HLG’s ongoing effort to work on Congress to have a Schedule A visa bill passed that ends retrogression. This month’s Blog entries include: how HLG is working to end the Schedule A retrogression, information about our Coalition strategy, how you can help, and many other entries. Are you checking it regularly?
http://hammondlawgroup.blogspot.com/

Symposium on the International Recruitment of Healthcare Workers
Hammond Law Group is pleased to announce a Symposium on International Recruitment of Healthcare Workers on Friday, May 2, 2008 in New York, New York. The Symposium is free to all clients and friends of the firm.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE April 18.  
http://www.hammondlawfirm.com/hc-symposium-2008-initial.htm

The Coalition to Improve Healthcare Staffing (CTIHS) Seeks More Members
CTIHS is looking to add additional members to its ranks. The goal of the CTIHS is to increase visa options for Healthcare workers. Toward that end they are seeking to raise considerable funds and add new members to help broadcast the message to Congressmen, Senators, and the general public.
http://hammondlawgroup.blogspot.com/2007/12/ctihs-funding-drive-2008.html
http://www.ctihs.org

Nursing: The Recession-Proof Job Market
CNN reports that while the finance industry is imploding, the need for nurses remains stronger than ever.  Even the ANA agrees.  “We know that the demand for nursing is going to grow," said Cheryl Peterson, senior policy fellow at the American Nurses Association. "We've got an aging baby boomer population which is only going to drive the demand." Many nurses are themselves boomers who will be retiring soon, further increasing the need.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/25/news/economy/nurse/index.htm?section=money_latest

Nursing Groups ask Congress for Help
An April 2 letter sent to all members of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairs for the committee to pass the Nurse Faculty Pilot Project.  The Project program would provide scholarships and fund release time for qualified nurse employees so that those employees can earn a salary while obtaining an advanced degree in nursing. These nurses will then become faculty at an accredited school of nursing.
http://www.aone.org/aone/advocacy/Letters/NursingCommunityHEAReauthorization.pdf

DOL Directs US Staffing Company to Pay $3M in Back Wages
A US medical staffing firm has been charged with violating a foreign labor program after it allegedly owed almost three million dollars back wages to its Filipino workers.  The New York-based Advanced Professional Marketing Inc. (APMI) and its president, Marissa Beck, were charged by the department with violating provisions of an immigration law that authorized employers to bring non-immigrant workers into the United States under the H-1B program.
http://news.ph.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1307512

Saskatoon Lures 300 Filipino Nurses
Despite warnings about the cold winters, nearly 300 nurses from the Philippines have jumped at the chance to live and work in Saskatchewan.
The nurses were recruited by a health-care delegation that spent nine days, Feb. 28 to March 8, in Manila. They are expected to begin working in health facilities around the province in the next three to six months.
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news

Where Are the Nurses?
The Miami Herald asks the key question plaguing South Florida hospitals.  The story in South Florida is the same as the rest of the country.  ''This is the hardest I've ever seen it,'' says Divina Grossman, who has been dean of the nursing school at Florida International University for nine years. ``It's really bad.''
http://www.miamiherald.com/103/story/484169.html

PROCESSING DATES  

SERVICE CENTER	PROCESSING DATES
California Service Center ( CSC )	Not Processing
AZ, CA, GU, HI, NV
Nebraska Service Center ( NSC )	December 29, 2006
AK, CO, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, ND, OH, OR, SD, UT, WA, WI, WY
Texas Service Center ( TSC )	August 15, 2007
AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NM, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX
Vermont Service Center (VSC)	April 1, 2006
CT, DE, DC, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, PR, RI, VT, VA, VI, WV

 VISA BULLETIN  

	All Charge-ability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIP-PINES
Employ-ment -Based
1st	C	C	C	C	C
2nd	C	01DEC03	01DEC03	C	C
3rd	01JUL05	08FEB03	01OCT01	01OCT01	01JUL05
Other Workers	01MAR02	01MAR02	01MAR02	01MAR02	01MAR02
4th	C	C	C	C	C
Certain Religious Workers	C	C	C	C	C
5th	C	C	C	C	C

Hammond Law Group, LLC Event Calendar

April 15, 2008 AILA Immigrant Options For Nurses AILA Teleconference Chris Musillo will be a featured speaker on this national teleconference. Register Now

April 19, 2008 AILA Citizenship Day Katie Jacob will be a volunteer attorney for AILA Citizenship Day 2008. Learn More

May 2, 2008 Symposium on the International Recruitment of Healthcare Workers The New York Helmsley Hotel Read More/View Agenda Register Now