“Remarkably” I was able to recently obtain approvals for several L-1B specialized knowledge petitions for an IT company. It was remarkable since USCIS has created such a narrowly restrictive interpretation of specialized knowledge and now defines specialized knowledge as knowledge that is unique or rare in an organization. They pulled this from an old dusty case that should never have been brought back to life. What was the purpose of renewing such a rigid view? Is it politics or USCIS’s unreasonable fear of rampant fraud? How are US employers supposed to help grow the economy and create jobs if H-1B numbers are capped and L-1Bs are virtually impossible to obtain? Even in this weak economy, there are many skilled positions that are going unfilled because of a dearth of US workers with advanced skills. With foreign nationals now deciding to stay in or return to their home countries such as India and China, because of their growing economies, we must become more competitive and try to attract as many necessary and highly educated and skilled workers as possible.
