Volunteer professional experience for PERM/I-140 process

[Caesar]

Employer of my wife (she is a software engineer) starts to apply for a PERM process for her. Currently she has a bachelor degree and a bit more thn 4 years of paid professional experience before joining this job. This makes her part of the Third Employment-Based Preference Category for I-140, which means she will be waiting for I-140 for years (now they are processing applications submitted in 2001).
My wife is only 8 months short for 5 years of professional experience that will make her part of the Second Employment-Based Preference Category (a bachelor's degree and at least five years of progressive experience), that will allow her to receive I-140 pretty fast.
When we came to the US in 2005, she was volunteering for 9 months doing software development work for an university.
Does anybody know whether volunteer (non-paid) professional experience can be counted as part of the progressive experience? The position my wife works at requires bachelor degree + 5 years of experience, so in case the volunteer experience can be counted, she is fine to go.

Thanks a lot!

 

[braniand]

I think volunteer experience cannot be counted. However, if this is not mentioned, and if your wife can get a recommendation letter for the experience, she will be fine. The most important however is, did she do the volunteer work after her Bachelor's, and was that in the same area of expertise? If not, she cannot use it. Best is find a new employer, and apply after 5 years with this one or apply with this one, and wait for years.