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LA GRANDE REFORME DE

L’IMMIGRATION AMERICAINE: 2013

Eliot Norman Williams Mullen

Washington, D.C. enorman@williamsmullen.com

European American Chamber of Commerce26 juin 2013

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Day after President cites immigration reform among policy priorities in his inaugural address. immigration advocacy groups urge Washington to act

Janvier 2013: La Bataille Commence

• President Obama’s Inaugural Speech , January 15, 2013

• Waiting for 4 years,

• Et dans le Sénat

• L’opinion publique?

• Du progrès: janvier-avril 2013

• Le President un peu a la cote

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April 2013: Foreign Terrorists Attack

• Boy, 8, one of 3 killed in bombings at Boston Marathon; 176 wounded

April 18, 2013• Bombing Manhunt for Chechen Brothers

Shuts down City, 1 million persons locked in homes

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Nos héros dans la bataille

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Gang of Eight

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April 2013: 8 Senators Say Boston No Excuse To Nix Immigration Deal | Fox News ...

“Gang of Eight”

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Why Bipartisan ?

• republicans as vocal as democrats

• la motivation des republicains…

• Analysis of election returns..

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Path to Citizenship

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Who is Responsbile

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The Grand Bargain

• Path to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants

• Seal the Border

• Worksite Enforcement inside the USA

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Solves this Dilemnan

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Employer Compliance : Worksite Inspections

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Obama: The troubles I have seen

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Et le NSA…..

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Où sommes-nous fin juin 2013?

• Gang of Eight

Working away

From April to June • Absent from Scene: President Obama• Judiciary Committee vote 15-5• Vote against Filibuster 82-17• 200 Amendments: nearly all defeated • CBO report: Deficit reduction $300 billion• Final Vote : before June 30 . Comprehensive

Legislation is becoming a reality?26

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II

L’Impact potentiel sur les compagnies

francaises?

Après tout, ce n’est pas notre affaire?

• not our Gang of Eight or 7 Samurai• not our 11 million “sans papiers”• not our concern whether

– Road to citizenship or – Border security? Not our billions to

spend?

• Interesting but maybe only of academic interest,

• Like an American looking at reform of age of retirement in France or adoption of gay marriage

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2 Bargains Le Grand •Path to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants•Seal the Border: •Worksite Enforcement inside the USA

Le Petit (qui n’entre pas trop dans le grand débat) •acceleration and expansion of all sorts of business visas: goal of helping U.S. businesses recruit & retain global talent. “visa express” like Federal Express

Both will have profound impacts on use of human capital for French companies in North American market.

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Un cas pratique

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South Carolina

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• Mobile, AL (Airbus)• Savannah, GA (Gulfstream-General Dynamics) • Charleston, SC (Boeing)• Greensboro, NC (Hondajet)• Durham, NC (GE Aviation)• Richmond/Petersburg, VA (Rolls-Royce)• Melbourne, Fla (Embraer

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The New Southeast U.S. Aerospace Cluster Eliot Normanenorman@williamsmullen.comBill Benosbbenos@williamsmullen.com

The Big 3

• Rolls Royce

• Boeing

• Airbus

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Attention! Homeland Security remains in charge of

immigration to the USA

What Does it matter : Procedural Impacts

• what does it have with French companies chasing business in the USA?

• Procedural Changes impact moving personnel generally, slowdown like with 9/11

• Reform means l’incertitude et les delais • Already seeing it happening with sequestration

and Ports of entry

• CBP attitudes.

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IMPACT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

• Multiple Government Agencies• ICE • CBP • Dept. of Labor ($$ and wages) • New Visa Controls at the Embassies• New Airport and Border Controls• Montoring Exits and Entries electronically• USCIS (inadequate funding)

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Worksite Enforcement à l’Américaine

Worksite Enforcement

• example of French company in NJ

• photo of boxes

• more of this, like in UK.

• Audits, particularly H-1Bs

• fines, criminal enforcement

• Problèmes avec 1099s, sous-traitants, IRS et ICE

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ICE, CBP and Homeland Security

• à la douane

• WSJ article: les délais

• attitude de CBP

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USCIS: Service a la clientèle?

• explain split of functions between U.S. Dept. of State and USCIS

• Lack of resources?

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Embassy of the United States of AmericaVisa Branch

2, Avenue Gabriel75008 Paris, France

VIA E-MAIL TRANSMISSION Date: 12-Jun-13Mr. Eliot NormanAttorney at Law

William Mullen (Richmond)200 South 10th Street, Suite 1600

Richmond VA 23219Reference number: 2013163 843 1Treaty Investor/Treaty Trader Treaty Investor/Treaty Trader

Dear Mr. Norman:As you are aware, as part of the visa application process, an interview at the

embassy is required for visa applicants from age 14 through 79.

As a consequence, Mr. and his spouse have been scheduled to come for an interview on 15-Jul-2013 at 01:30 PM.

They will meet our Treaty Visa Officer.

n a few days, using the above-noted reference number you may view the status of this application on our website at http://france.usembassy.gov Pending visas “Treaty

Trader Investor visas.”

Should you have any questions about this application or need to reschedule the appointment, please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail directly to

parisev@state.gov to ensure rapid processing.Sincerely,

E Visa UnitNon Immigrant Visa Branch

American Embassy Paris

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III

L’Impact sur les compagnies francaises?

Substantive Changes to Business Visas

(Small Bargain)

Titles II & IV to Senate Bill 744:Substantive Changes to Business Visas

•New Rules for Business Visas•Liberalization of Quotas for H-1Bs •New Types of Visas: Business lobby has intervened successfully for multinationals •Relief for Backlogs in Green Cards (Title III) •IMPACT: Will affect Visa Choices •Will affect short-term and long term strategies

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This is where is all starts

Quelle situation?Quel visa?

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GREEN CARDS

LA PYRAMIDE DES VISAS AMÉRICAINS

L-1A/L-1B, E1/E2 Investors/Treaty Traders

TN, H-1B/O-1

B-1/ F-1/J-1/H-3, H-2B

90 Day ESTA Visa

WaiversB-1 Business

Visitors (B/2) (tourists)

EB-1 Multinational Managers/Executives & EB-1Extraordinary Ability and Outstanding Researchers;EB2/3 PERM Labor Certifications for professionals, skilled workers leading to Green Cards;EB2 Green Cards for National Interest Waivers, FAMILY SPONSORSHIP (marriage to U.S. Citizen or, Green Card Holder; Diversity Lottery. EB-5: $500,000 Investors

EXECUTIVES, MANAGERS, Specialists and Essential-Skills Employees for U.S. Offices of International Companies

PROFESSIONALS; Extraordinary Ability Scholars & Scientists

TRAINEES & FOREIGN STUDENTSResearch Scholars & Specialists; Temporary workers , VIE , Interns.

BUSINESS VISITORS:Negotiate Contracts, Consult;Trainees, Install Equipmentif Purchased Overseas; Visa WaiverB-1 au lieu de H-1B: 6 month project requiring professional services.

6693462

3 questions importantesLes Leçons à Tirer

• What will change?

• What will not change?

• What will be new?

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Un Sommaire • Le Régime Actuel

• B-1

• ESTA Visa Waiver

• E-2/E-1

• H-1B

• L-1A ou L-1B

• TN

• Green Cards – EB1– EB2 and EB3– EB 5

• La Réforme

• B-1

• ESTA Visa Waiver

• E-2/E-1

• H-1B

• L-1A ou L-1B

• TN

• Green Cards– EB1– EB2 and EB3– EB5

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Le regime actuel: Use of L-1Bs, L-1As, H-1Bs and E-2 for Intra-Company Transfers

X&Z Aerosupply , Inc. Mobile, Alabama USA

(AIRBUS VILLAGE)

X&Z Aerosupply SA Toulouse , France

Managers, Executives Software DevelopersElectrical Engineers

Project Managersand

SpecialistsComposites

Engineers

X&Z Aerosupply, Ltd. Bucharest, Romania

La Grande Réforme

• E-2 et Treaty NAFTA (L’ALENA), Free Trade Agreements

• Supériorité des traités

• Pensez à l’Amérique du Nord

• Leçons a tirer:

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Case Illustration: Sous la Grande Réforme: NAFTA TN ou E-2, B-1?

X&Z Aerosupply , Inc. Mobile, Alabama USA

(AIRBUS VILLAGE)

X&Z Aerosupply SA Toulouse , France

Managers, Executives Software DevelopersElectrical Engineers

Project Managersand

Specialists

ManufacturingManagers &Engineers

X&Z Composites Manufacturing

Monterey, Mexico

X&Z Services d’Ingénierie, SA

Montréal, Québec Engineers

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E-1/E-2 Treaty Trader/Trader Investor Visas

• avantages,•critères, • procédures,• cas pratiques et exemples

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NAFTA (l’ALENA) TN le Canada, Le Mexique

• avantages,•critères, • procédures,• cas pratiques et exemples

• TNs for Canadians: Works if Well Documented– Advantages: Visa Issuance at the Border – Use of self-employed consultants– Management consultants– Scientific/engineering technologists – Systems analysts with 2-year degrees

• Mexican TNs:– requires visa and application at U.S. Consulate– Same or similar criteria

Canada (Le Québec) Mexico

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Visas: Practical Solutions for Business Visitors

• Reforms in use of «  Shengen » type visas – Visa Waivers (ESTA); – Can work under B-1 in support of

interntional supply agreement– B-1 in lieu of H-1B (ex. design engineers)

• professionnel • projet de 6 mois ou moins• compensation: de France

ou d’outre-mer

Les Avantages d’un Multinational

• l’emploi des traités

• Chile, Australia and Singapore: Special H-1Bs or E-3s under Fast-Track FTAs (Free Trade Agreements)

• Canada and Mexico (l’ALENA ou NAFTA)

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IVL’Impact sur les

compagnies francaises?

Problematique ou Amelioration?

Les L-1Bs? L-1As?Les H-1Bs

L-1B et L-1As (Intra-Company Transfers)

Le Régime Actuel (ask: ) •avantages,• critères, • procédures,• cas pratiques et exemples• Blanket Procedures • % of Requêtes (RFE ou Requests for Evidence)•Problèmes de définitions de « Specialized Knowledge »•Problèmes de travail au tiers •FIND materials sent to TAJ

Sous La Grande Réforme

??

• Work at client sites to be prohibited?•Specialized knowledge standards will be impractical ?

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CAS SPECIAUX

• New Office L-1,

• L-1 Blanket Visas.

• E-1/E-2 Visas Accelerés,

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H-1B Visas for Specialty Occupations:

• avantages,

• critères et le rðle du « DOL »,

• procédures,

• cas pratiques et exemples.

• Problemes de CAP ou Quota– 2011– 2012– 2013

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H-1B Visas for Specialty Occupations: La Grande Réforme

• Avantages : Quotas or Caps de 65,000 a 115,000; 20,000 a 25,000. 180,000 en total ?

• Mais le nouveau rðle du « DOL » exigera une augmentation des salaires (20%-30%) – Audits et enquêtes

– Délai de 30 jours– Preuve du recrutement sans succès des candidats

américains

• Les épouses auront le droit à travailler

Leçons à tirer : résultats mixtes à cause des compromis politiques.

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VL’Impact sur les

compagnies françaises?

Temporary Business Visas: What’s New under La Grande

Réforme?

What’s New under La Grande Réforme?

• Multinational Managers/Executives:– Can come for up to 180 days to oversee U.S.

operations– Salary: from France or from U.S. entity

• Z visa to benefit airlines, other transportation companies, ex. MRO facilities, repair or warranty work on foreign equipment for up to 180 days. – Parallels U.S. State Department Initiative: B-1 in lieu

of H-1B: up to 180 days for profesionals working on short-term projects

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What else is New: Nonimmigrants

• W Visas: Sponsorship of low and middle-skilled positions– example: assemblers, welders for our

aerospace company– 20,000 to 75,000, up to even 200,000 per

year? – Eliminates proving seasonal need

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What’s New under La Grande Réforme? (temporary visas)

• EB-6 Entrepreneurs and X visas:– For Start-ups

– Venture Capital $100,000

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VI

L’Impact sur les compagnies francaises?

Business Green Cards

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What’s New? Instant or Accelerated Green Cards

• STEM foreign graduates from U.S. Universities with M.S. or Ph.D. – enormous change and benefit– compare with 4-6 year PERM to GC process.

• Multinational Managers and Executives can self-petition; so can Ph.Ds.

• EB-1 Multinational Managers/Executives still a strong option

• Reference: Green Chart

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EB-1 Multinational Manager/Executive Green

Cards

• avantages,

• critère,

• procédures,

• cas pratiques et exemples.

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Timing: All 3 steps: 3-6 years + for EB3 from India

What’s New: Green Cards • Elimination of per country quotas• Elimination of counting family members towards

green card quotas: big problem • Result: acceleration of Green Card issuance:

– For EB3 , from 4 years to 1year

– For EB2, from 2 years to 1 year

• Leçons à Tirer: Des Nouvelle Strategies

(mettre les cartes vertes en avance)

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Cas pratique sous la Reforme: Use of Green Cards for Intra-Company Transfers

X&Z Aerosupply , Inc. Mobile, Alabama USA

(AIRBUS VILLAGE)

X&Z Aerosupply SA Toulouse , France

Managers, Executives Software DevelopersElectrical Engineers

Project Managersand

Specialists

Composites Engineers and

Assemblers

X&Z Aerosupply, Ltd. Bucharest, Romania

Green Card Quotas and Priority System

• Per country quotas abolished

• 40% for Graduate Degrees, EB-2 or higher

• 40% for EB3 (B.S. or B.A. degree or skilled workers)

• 10% Enterepreneurs and investors

• 10% special immigrants

• Family members not counted in quotas74

What’s New: Investment Green Cards

• EB-6 Entrepreneur Green Card 10% of total: requires venture capital investment of at least $100,000 etc.

• EB-5 $500,000 Investment Green Card made permanent– can be source of financing for U.S.

projects– Investors sold minority interest, limited

partnership units75

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VIIL’Impact sur les

compagnies francaises?

Visas Divers Sous La Grande

Reforme

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J-1 Interns and Practical Trainees (incluant VIE)

•Les accords de stages, échanges de jeunes professionnels, •avantages, •critères, •procédures, •cas pratiques et exemples.•Le programme (sous Le Département d’Etat) exigerait la conformité a ses règles

State Dept. Reforms

• eliminate visa interviews?

• revalidate visas without leaving the USA?

• time limits on adjudication of visas, and waiting times for visa interviews?

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FOREIGN STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS F-1s and J-1s• 700,000 F-1s

• 170,000 J-1s graduate students

• Shared Responsibility between ICE (SEVIS) and USCIS (Applications and Extensions)

• The OPT to H-1B “timing game”

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“VISA WAIVER”

• “l’espace SCHENGEN americain”

• Distinctions entre le B-1 et le Visa Waiver (WB):

– avantages, – critères,– procédures,– cas pratiques et exemples.

VIIILes

Prochaines Etapes et les Stratégies

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La procedure législative: juin-octobre

• what happens next?

• House of Representatives

• Future of their « Gang of Seven »?

• Congressional Budget Office

• Conference Committee

• If signed, timing of implementation

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Guiding Principles

• L’importance de faire un bon choix de visa en faisant une évaluation approfondie des avantages/inconvenients de chacun ; et en adoptant une approche individualisée-- salarié, fonction et structure de l’organisation.

• Evitez la répétition de la formule de l’année dernière!

Dernières Considérations 1. Flexibility

2. Big suprise: make early and effective use of Green Cards to bypass H-1B and L-1 headaches and complications

3. E-2 accelerated visa program (if your company meets criteria) : extra benefit of French ownership

4. Stay with Treaty or State Dept. Visas over Congressional Visas: TN, E-2, B-1, J-1

5. When use H-1B or L-1, carefully review candidate qualifications

6. Portability: employment agreements will be of added importance (confidentiality, non-compete)

7. More use possible of short term visas for productive work without establishing U.S. Offices

8. Collaboration?

9. le problème de l’abus84

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8 Collaboration.

• Dans la préparation de la demande, il faut de la collaboration parmi: l’avocat et son cabinet, l’entreprise et le salarié

• Information sur les opérations en FRANCE et les ETATS-UNIS,

• Problèmes à éviter avant le dépôt du dossier,• Ouverture d’un bureau : cas spécifique, • Le rôle de votre entreprise et votre avocat• Les « DEADLINES ».• Le salarié et son « travel schedule »

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9. L’abus UNE BONNE UTILISATION DU VISA

• les visiteurs d’affaires commerciales,

• Quand le “business visa” n’existe pas,

• L’abus de la procédure: – Les complications et la perte des

privilèges de “Visa Waiver” – La barrière de 3 ans et 10 ans

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Nos Services Sous le Régime Actuel

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 Il est plus facile à un chameau de passer par le chas d'une aiguille que pour certaine visiteurs de passer par la douane américaine.

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Sous La Grande Réforme: « plutôt du planning stratégique »

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Questions et Questions et CoordonnéesCoordonnéesEliot Normanenorman@williamsmullen.com

Williams Mullen 1666 K Street NW Suite 1200 Washington DC 20006 Direct Dial: 804.420.6482En France (juin-juillet 2013) 001.804.564.1619www.williamsmullen.com

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VOS CAS SPECIAUX OU VOS CAS SPECIAUX OU PROBLEMATIQUES? PROBLEMATIQUES?