Interview in Baltimore in the next few days
Hello Everyone!
I wanted to pick your minds about something that's been on my mind with respect to the interview. I am all set for the interview in Baltimore on Thursday. The paperwork and documents are essentially in order. The only thing is that my current salary is about $3000 lower than that mentioned on my Labour Certification. The way this happened was that for the first 2 years of my application (during Labour Cert, and I140) I had been working with my company (I am a consultant in a Big 5) in NYC. Then in December last year, I was put on a project with my company in the DC area (through an internal transfer) on the condition that I would have to take a paycut to match the DC Cost of Living and the payscales in the DC office--pay being higher in NYC. If I didn't accept, I would have been on the beach and a layoff was inevitable. I didn't think a $3000 cut was worth being laid off for and so I accepted the offer. So when I moved to DC I filed the I485, with my new, lower salary. I didn't get an RFE or anything either and the lawyers didn't think it was going to be a big issue. However, with the interview looming, my lawyers are a bit nervous and saying that ther is a chance the INS will now accept this. So the question for you out there is: Am I screwed? Is this really a significant issue that can't be explained? It's such a small amount and it seems reasonable that the DC office would not be able to support a NY salary. One saving grace is that my salary is above the 'prevailing wage rate" in the DC area and i believe ultimately that is what the INS requires. But if you have some advice, please let me know. I haven't had sleep in the last few days and am unlikely to in the next two.
Thanks!