Zwaik, Gilbert & Associates Hires Director of Business Development

Ronkonkoma, New York -- Zwaik, Gilbert & Associates is pleased to announce that former Senior Congressional Aide, Leah Sullivan, has been hired as their new Director of Business Development. Leah will be responsible for the firm’s expansion and educating the public on new immigrant policies and initiatives.

“We’re thrilled that Leah is joining our team,” said David Zwaik, Business Manager. “We’re confident she will help us expand into new territories and educate the public.”

Leah comes with 12 years of government and immigration experience, assisting constituents of the first congressional district of New York.

Leah graduated from Lafayette College in Easton, PA with a BA in German and Sociology. Her studies were enhanced with a year of study in Vienna, Austria at the University of Vienna. Leah is also an Area Representative with International Student Exchange, a non-profit organization designated by the Dept. of State to sponsor visas to J1 high school students.

Leah, who resides in Mattituck, will be based at the firm’s Ronkonkoma, New York location.

Zwaik, Gilbert & Associates:
Established in 1980, Zwaik, Gilbert &Associates is a full service immigration provider with three office locations in New York: Hampton Bays, Ronkonkoma and Woodside. Visit www.Zwaik.com to learn more.

Mitchell C. Zwaik

Long Island, NY
Brooklyn, NY
(631) 588-4040
info@zwaik.com

Employee Sponsorship Returns as a Real Possibility

Employee Sponsorship Returns as a Real Possibility

Visa Availability (3rd Preference Employment-Based) Surges Ahead

After years of backlogs and a demand for numbers that far exceeded the yearly quota, one’s chances of winning the lottery seemed far greater than capturing a number in the third preference visa category.  For many years the wait in this category was so long that obtaining a green card through an employer seemed more of a pipe dream or an object always out of reach; never mind trying to convince an employer to start the green card process when it could take anywhere from 6 to 10 years to complete.  With a future too far away to grasp, many were too discouraged to even embark upon the process. 

Flash forward to the visa bulletin of February 2015, and the world appears a brighter more hospitable place for individuals seeking permanent residency through an employer in the United States.  Over the past year, third preference visa availability has surged ahead with the priority date jumping 18 months in a span of 12 calendar months.  With a third preference priority date now January 1, 2014, the wait for a visa is shorter now then we have seen in many, many years. 

Companies that utilize the H1B and H2B program should pay close attention to this development.  Shorter wait times improve an employee’s ability to maintain nonimmigrant status during the transition from temporary to permanent status, and facilitate international travel by allowing one to travel with advance parole (sooner) thereby alleviating the stress and concern associated with renewing the visa at a US Consulate abroad.   

As with all good things this opportunity will not last.  As more take advantage, the demand for numbers will increase and visa availability will again slow down.  Future immigration reform will also affect these numbers and effect the balance of demand and availability.  Employers and Employees alike should begin exploring this new opportunity now.   

 

Mitchell C. Zwaik

Long Island, NY, Brooklyn, NY

(631) 588-4040, info@zwaik.com