This is unfair ......

If I\'m offending you, I do apologize, my purpose is not to critique. To me this is a matter of opi

... As we are using the country\'s resources, shouldn\'t we pay taxes like the citizens. And why compare ourselves with a few Mexican immigrants - our opportunities/situation/historic relationship with this country are different - we can\'t be treated with the same remedy. And there are a lot of non-immigrants who get the same raise as us for sticking to the same job.

I personally think we are treated very well here. Some of us are stuck with sleezy bodyshoppers from India, and that\'s unfortunate. However, we can overcome fear/inertia and switch companies - now H-1 transfers are easy. If we cannot, can\'t we try to manage one\'s attitude towards our situation so its a little more bearable (Anybody seen \'Shawshank Redemption\'?), rather than get caught up with frustration. There\'s so much scenic beauty, culture, art, music and resources available in this country for cultivating hobbies, also opportunities for further education,professional,spiritual growth and meeting people we never would otherwise. Yet by obsessing on when the GC will arrive we give up these opportunities. How much difference does it really make in the big scheme of things whether we get the GC today or 4 months from now. And if someone with a RD a week/month behind us gets it earlier. Its less of a dog-eat-dog world in the US than India, but maybe we are still carrying over some of our attitudes here.
 Many of us coming in are beneficiaries of a highly subsidized education system, otherwise one mostly funded by our parents. We come in earning high salaries from month 1, with little debt behind us, unlike many Americans who have to pay through their noses. They could turn around and say this is unfair.
 I think life is neither fair, nor unfair - but there\'s no free lunch. As soon as we come to grips with that there\'s a price to pay for immigraton, we\'ve grown up and then this becomes a matter of perception.
 
UK, PR I take back my comment on UK immigration. I am not obviously up to date with this

 
 
to esbee....

I have been reading this discussion very avidly.....again ...I must say that what I feel is my viewpoint....a lot of people may agree to it.....you are talking about enjoying culture, beauty, diversity....you talk about switching employers and other things like that....I guess you are in a pretty comfortable position so as to say that.....maybe you have never felt the actual pain.....just ask the guy who is on the verge of getting the GC and is laid off....just beacuse he now won\'t have the last 2 months pay-stubs....he will be denied the GC after 3 years(or more)...of slavery.....is that fair....I can only say that esbee that you have to undergo the situation to understand the pain......it is easier to lecture than actually do it......so many people I know are staying apart from their families(wives and children here in the US)...because they have to stick to their job somehow........and last of all I can only say that.....it is just a matter of luck that you are better off in the current scenario(to be able to spaek like that).....and it is just a matter of luck that someone gets his GC 1 or 2 months before someone else should have got it......

and I pray that Good luck be with you man....atleast till the time you get your GC....

take care...
 
Be happy for the things that you are getting

A very good post. Also consider the people who have PD of 1997 or 1998 who are still standing there after you. Is it fair for them? or Consider the people whose 6 years are over and their file hasn\'t been opened for labor too and they have to go back. (This really did happen to my friend who filed in 1998!!) So there is nothing fair nothing unfair. It\'s life. Take it how it comes. Be happy for the things that you are getting. Relish life\'s pleasantness and forget the unpleasentness.
 
To485ND0921

My posting is not to trivialize anyone else\'s pain and frustration. All I am saying is if we realize we will be OK irrespective of whether and when we get the greencard, we might be more available to enjoy what else life has to offer.

 You may not think so, but I too have felt the pain of immigration wrt to jobs etc. However, somebody once said if you put everybody\'s problems in one pot and then let them dig into the pot to pick their problems to keep, most would probably pick up exactly the set of problems they had before. I will gladly choose to bear my immigration-related problems - you are right, there are folks in a tougher situation than me.

 PS. Everybody, if u have time to kill or if your going\'s tough, do rent "Shawshank Redemption". Stay till the end, its incredible. You won\'t regret it and you might understand what I\'m referring to.
 
This thread

I think we all share some frustration, otherwise we wouldn\'t be
spending time on this site. It does seem unfair (for want of a
better word) that we\'ve waited legally, patiently, put some plans
on hold and invested the time and money in our applications
and yet there is no order to approvals. (This is not to say that the
GC is a right--I think we\'re all well aware that it is considered a
privilege, especially when EB). Similarly, I am sure we all have
moments where the political outreach to Mexican workers--or for
that matter, the speed of marriage based petitions--appears to
have precedence over our cases. Whatever the merit of these
thoughts/emotions, this is one of the few places we can share
this and I think we need to be as understanding as possible. Its
not that anybody wants other people barred from this land
(although I wonder if this isn\'t an inevitable and possibly
intentional consequence of the long-drawn out, repetitive and
convoluted process). Besides, look at the general media
coverage of immigration--its almost completely wrong. Most of
my friends and colleagues think that I have the GC, mistake 140
approval for the GC or simply believe that immigration is easy
and automatic because that\'s what they read in the papers or
hear on the news. If there ever is a Mexican amnesty, I\'m sure
that it won\'t be automatic PR or anything like that. And if it is,
good luck to them.

I\'m pleased we have this forum as nobody I know can imagine
what I am going through. I thought things would be easier once
the FP was done (because I assumed that meant the file was
open and was told it should only be weeks from then). It has
been worse--I am fed up with the wait, anxiety and paranoia. All
my family are elsewhere and I just want to be able to finish with
this and get on with my life without this ticking clock.

I had calculated the time it took to get my EAD (a week from VSC
not the 90 days promised) and assumed the GC would be quick.
Both calculations led me to assume that my August 01 RD/Oct.
01 ND would result in a GC before March... I had been told that
the 365-540 day INS processing time was standard and padded
to prevent calls and to expect a far quicker turn around. Of
course, that didn\'t happen, but were it not for this forum, I think I
would have gone crazy thinking my file was lost or my case
rejected.

So thanks everyone for helping with the wait (although I should
spend lunch hours other than on this board). Thanks especially
to all the trackers out there. And let\'s understand the different
ways in which we all express our frustration.

Peace,

Peeps
 
Just a li\'l note...

You don\'t come to an assumption. You start with an assumption and arrive at a conclusion. Or a hypothesis. Cheers, mate!
 
I think the problem lies...

in managing to stay in UK for four years legally. I don\'t think one\'s student days count towards that threshold. Unless you are an UK citizen or a EU passport holder, it maybe pretty difficult to get work permit.
 
UK PR Redux

If you can get a job you can get a work permit. If you are a college
graduate, you can get a work permit for a year even without a job.
There are no restrictions on the kind of work you can do
("shortage occupations" etc.)--you can work in MacDonalds if you
really want. Most employers are willing to hire non-UK
citizens--especially if you have professional
qualifications/experience and speak English. Basically getting a
UK work visa is easier than getting an H1-B and far cheaper.

France, however, is another matter entirely. Even EU nationals
can be denied work authorization there.
 
I used to feel that I have some psychological problem !

I used to feel that I have some psychological problem because of feeling so anxious about this status problem but after reading these mails I am feeling little normal towards my attitude. Thanks to you guys for being so open and understanding.I guess after crossing this stressful time we will appreciate good days of freedom much more!!!!!!
 
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