Consul General Speaks to HR Professionals

On Nov. 22, 2010, Consul General Andrew Parker gave a panel presentation on petition-based work visas at a conference for Israeli human resource professionals. The Israel-America Chamber of Commerce sponsored the panel.

Parker's presentation was aimed at professionals managing human resources departments of U.S. subsidiaries in Israel and covered a wide range of topics, from the appropriate uses of B1/B2 visas to the qualifications for petition-based L, H1B, and E visas.

For more information about work visas, visit: http://israel.usembassy.gov/consular/niv/petitionhome.html.

Embassy Warns of Dishonest Job Recruiters Outside Army Release Conference

On Nov. 4, 2010, staff from the Embassy Consular Section visited the Israel Defense Force conference, kenes mistechrerim, to educate young Israelis recently released from the army about visas and legal ways to work in and travel to the United States.

Embassy staff witnessed many job recruiters outside of the conference providing inaccurate information to soldiers about working in the United States. The Consular Section reminds all young Israelis that the primary source for accurate information about visas is the U.S. Embassy and the State Department.

“Young Israelis should beware that many unscrupulous job recruiters don’t have your best interests at heart and may not be following the laws of the United States,” warns Consul General Andrew Parker. “We encourage all young Israelis to visit the Embassy website for timely and accurate information about visas and how to legally work in the U.S.”

All-Hands Meeting with Jerusalem a Success

On Oct. 29, 2010, the Consular Section of U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv traveled to Jerusalem for an all-hands meeting with the Consular Section of the U.S. Consulate General. 

The meeting was the first all-staff gathering in more than six years. Staff from Embassy Tel Aviv toured the Consulate General’s new facility and learned about the Consular Section’s visa operations, as well as American citizen services. 

The event also included break-out sessions among various departments to discuss best practices, fraud trends and opportunities for partnership on joint projects.

“The meeting was a wonderful opportunity to renew our commitment to teamwork with our colleagues,” said Consul General Andrew Parker. “Several joint projects have already resulted from our visit and we welcome the opportunity for future collaborations.”

Spotlight on Haifa’s Rambam Hospital

On Oct. 6, 2010, Consul General Andrew Parker, ICE Attaché Rich Jolles, and Consular Agent Jonathan Friedland visited the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa as guests of Dr. Shlomo Israelit, M.D., the acting director of the emergency department. The campus is northern Israel’s largest hospital and one of the premier Level 1 trauma centers in the world. 

“I was impressed by the capacity of the hospital to act as an exemplar of emergency medicine in peacetime,” Parker said. “Especially the potential to transform into an Intensive Care  Unit capable of dealing with mass casualties during a variety of emergencies, such as the recent Carmel forest fire.”

Many American tourists arriving from cruise trips have been treated at the facility for heart issues and neurological problems. Additionally, American sailors and marines who have taken ill near Haifa have been treated at the hospital, sometimes airlifted from U.S. carriers.

Last October, workers began pouring the concrete foundation for an expansion that will transform the center into the world’s largest underground emergency hospital.

Vice Consuls Meet with Weizmann Researchers

On Oct. 5, 2010, two Vice Consuls visited the Weizmann Institute of Science for a presentation on exchange visas for postdoctoral research in the United States.

The two officers received a warm welcome from Weizmann staff and organizers from the Alumni Organization of the Weizmann Institute.

The consular officers presented visa information to about 100 students and their spouses, answering questions about the visa application process. The students were interested to learn that the spouses of the exchange visitors, who qualify for a derivative J2 visa, are allowed to apply for employment authorization once in the United States.

Get Out the Vote!

The 2010 mid-term elections are fast-approaching! All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 36 out of 100 seats in the U.S. Senate will be contested in this year’s elections on Tuesday, Nov. 2.

New regulations for overseas voting are in effect for 2010. Overseas voters are strongly encouraged to re-file the official registration/ballot request every election year.

For more information, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program at www.fvap.gov, or the non-partisan Overseas Vote Foundation at www.overseasvotefoundation.org.

New Border Security Fee for Petition-Based Visas

As of Aug. 13, 2010, some applicants for Blanket L1 and H1B work visas may be subject to a new border security fee. In most cases, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will collect these fees as part of the petition process. Only in the case of Blanket L1 visas will the fee be collected at the Embassy.

How does this affect applicants? If the petitioning employer has more than 50 employees in the United States and more than 50 percent are on H1B or L status, the company will be subject to the following fees: USD 2,000 for H1B and USD 2,250 for L1 cases. After Jan. 7, 2011, the I-129S form will state whether the petitioning employer is subject to the new fee.

More information about the new fee is available on the USCIS website at: www.uscis.gov.