I changed my job in october 2003.
our 485 cases were transferred to local office(Jacksonville) in January 2004.
I got my EAD extened in may 2004 from local office.
In august I went to check the status of my case and an immigration officer looking into my case called me into his office.He asked to sign a form(don't know) and enquired about my employment.He asked me whether I would accept an offer from my previous employer iff they intend to hire me in the future. I said probably I would.But didn't have a clue why he asked it.
Same day he sent a letter to my past employer(and my attorney) regarding the I-140 application. In the letter he wanted to know whether my past employer had intentions to hire me in the future. Past employer didn't reply to the letter and attorney sent the AC21 papers of my case(which were filed in nov 2003) to the local office in sept 2004.
I again went to local office in oct 2004 to check the status of my advance parole which was filed there.The same officer was processing my application
and he wanted to discuss with me about my case(485 and advance parole).
For that he asked me to sign a waiver form to talk to him without an attorney.
I didn't sign it and he asked me to leave since he cannot talk to me.
He sent a letter again asking my prevoius employer(HR Manager) to see him after 3 weeks regarding my I-140 case.
I talked to my past employer and they agreed to meet him.
when my past HR manager went to see the immigration officer(with my case information papers), he was asked the same question(whether they have intetions to hire me in the future).
He replied 'yes' and came back.On the same days our cases were approved and we received a letter.
I verified that my I-140 was not cancelled and labor certification was not re-used for anyone from my past employer.
Attorney does not have a clue either why the immigration officer needs that information.
--------------------The 08/04/03 memo [
http://uscis.gov/graphics/lawsregs/handbook/I140_AC21_8403.pdf] says “In all cases an offer of employment must have been bona fide, and the employer must have had the intent, at the time Form I-140 was approved, to employ the beneficiary upon adjustment.” It seems to me that the officer tried to check that.
But I always felt that they cannot deny a case unless there is a valid reason
to do. Mostly likely if they answered 'no' processing would have been delayed.
I know people whose cases were transfered to the same office around the same time and got approvals(also changed jobs) earlier than me.