sustained EB-2 Case: Computer Science

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PUBLICCOPY
U.S.Departmentof HomelandSecurity
U.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServices
AdministrativeAppealsOffice (AAO)
20MassachusettsAve.,N.W...MS2090
Washington.DC 20529-2090
U.S.Citizenship
and Immigration
Services
Date: JUL 1 0 2012 Office: NEBRASKASERVICECENTER
IN RE:
PETITION:ImmigrantPetitionfor Alien Workerasa Memberof the ProfessionsHoldingan Advanced
Degreeor anAlien of ExceptionalAbility Pursuantto Section203(b)(2)of theImmigrationand
NationalityAct,8 U.S.C.§ 1l 53(b)(2)
ON BEHALFOFPETITIONER:
INSTRUCTIONS:
Enclosedpleasefind thedecisionof theAdministrativeAppealsOffice in yourcase.All of thedocuments
relatedto thismatterhavebeenreturnedto theofficethatoriginallydecidedyourcase.Pleasebeadvisedthat
anyfurtherinquirythatyoumighthaveconcerningyourcasemustbemadetothatoffice.
If you believethe AAO inappropriatelyappliedthe law in reachingits decision,or you haveadditional
informationthatyouwishto haveconsidered,you mayfile a motionto reconsideror a motionto reopenin
accordancewith the instructionson FormI-290B,Noticeof Appealor Motion,with a fee of $630. The
specificrequirementsfor filing sucha motioncanbefoundat 8 C.F.R.§ 103.5.Do not file any motion
directly with theAAO. Pleasebeawarethat8 C.F.R.§ 103.5(a)(l)(i)requiresanymotionto befiled within
30 daysof the decisionthat the motion seeksto reconsideror reopen.
•ry ew
Chief,AdministrativeAppealsOffice
www.uscis.gov
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publishedin boundvolumesor asinterimdecisions.8 C.F.R.§ 103.9(a).Therefore,theunpublished
AAO decisionis notapertinentprecedentdecision.Nevertheless,totheextentthisdecisionrepresentsa
pastUSCISpolicy,themotionwill begranted.
As notedabove,theFormETA 750in thismatteriscertifiedby theDOL TheDOL'sroleis limitedto
determiningwhethertherearesufficientworkerswho areable,willing, qualifiedandavailableand
whethertheemploymentof thealienwill adverselyaffectthewagesandworkingconditionsof workers
in theUnitedStatessimilarlyemployed.Section212(a)(5)(A)(i)of theAct; 20C.F.R.§656.1(a).
It is significantthatnoneof the aboveinquiriesassignedto the DOL, or the remainingregulations
implementingthesedutiesunder20C.F.R.§656,involveadeterminationastowhetheror notthealien
is qualifiedfor a specificimmigrantclassificationor eventhejob offered. This fact hasnot gone
unnoticedby federalcircuit courts. SeeTongatapuWoodcraftHawaii, Ltd. v. Feldman,736F. 2d
1305,1309(9thCir. 1984);Madanyv.Smith,696F.2d1008,1012-1013(D.C.Cir. 1983).
A UnitedStatesbaccalaureatedegreeis generallyfoundto requirefour yearsof education.Matter
of Shah,17 I&N Dec. 244 (Reg'l. Comm'r. 1977). This decisioninvolved a petition filed under
8 U.S.C.§1153(a)(3)asamendedin 1976.At thattime,thissectionprovided:
Visasshallnextbemadeavailable. . . to qualifiedimmigrantswho aremembersof
theprofessions. . .
TheAct addedsection203(b)(2)(A)oftheAct, 8 U.S.C.§1153(b)(2)(A),whichprovides:
Visasshallbe madeavailable. . . to qualified immigrantswho aremembersof the
professionsholdingadvanceddegreesor theirequivalent. . . .
Significantly,thestatutorylanguageusedprior toMatter ofShah,17I&N Dec.at244,is identicalto
the statutorylanguageusedsubsequentto thatdecisionbut for the requirementthatthe immigrant
hold an advanceddegreeor its equivalent. The Joint ExplanatoryStatementof the Committeeof
Conference,publishedas part of the Houseof RepresentativesConferenceReporton the Act,
providesthat"[in] consideringequivalencyin category2 advanceddegrees,it is anticipatedthatthe
alien must have a bachelor'sdegreewith at least five years progressiveexperiencein the
professions."H.R.Conf.Rep.No. 955, 101"Cong.,2"dSess.1990,1990U.S.C.C.A.N.6784,1990
WL 201613at *6786(Oct.26, 1990).
At thetime of enactmentof section203(b)(2)of the Act in 1990,it hadbeenalmostthirteenyears
sinceMatterof Shahwasissued.Congressis presumedto haveintendeda four-yeardegreewhenit
statedthat an alien "must have a bachelor'sdegree"when consideringequivalencyfor second
preferenceimmigrantvisas. We mustassumethat Congresswasawareof the agency'sprevious
treatmentof a "bachelor'sdegree"underthe Act whenthe newclassificationwasenactedanddid
not intendto altertheagency'sinterpretationof thatterm. SeeLorillard v.Pons,434U.S.575,580-
81 (1978)(Congressis presumedto beawareof administrativeandjudicial interpretationswhereit
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adoptsa newlaw incorporatingsectionsof a prior law). Seealso56 Fed.Reg.60897,60900(Nov.
29, 1991)(analicnmusthaveatleastabachelor'sdegree).
In 1991,when the final rule for 8 C.F.R. § 204.5 was publishedin the FederalRegister,the
Immigrationand NaturalizationService(the Service),respondedto criticism that the regulation
requiredanaliento havea bachelor'sdegreeasa minimumandthattheregulationdid notallow for
thesubstitutionof experiencefor education.After reviewingsection121of the ImmigrationAct of
1990,Pub.L 101-649(1990),andtheJointExplanatoryStatementof theCommitteeof Conference,
theServicespecificallynotedthatboththeAct andthelegislativehistoryindicatethatanalienmust
haveatleastabachelor'sdegree:
TheAct statesthat,in orderto qualify underthesecondclassification,alienmembers
of the professionsmust hold "advanceddegreesor their equivalent." As the
legislativehistory. . . indicates,theequivalentof anadvanceddegreeis "a bachelor's
degreewith at leastfive yearsprogressiveexperiencein the professions."Because
neithertheAct norits legislativehistoryindicatesthatbachelor'sor advanceddegrees
mustbeUnitedStatesdegrees,theServicewill recognizeforeignequivalentdegrees.
But both theAct andits legislativehistorymakeclearthat,in orderto qualify asa
professionalunder the third classificationor to have experienceequatingto an
advanceddegreeunderthesecond,analienmusthaveat leasta bachelor'sdegree.
56Fed.Reg.60897,60900(Nov.29, 1991)(emphasisadded).
Thereis noprovisionin thestatuteor theregulationsthatwouldallow abeneficiaryto qualify under
section203(b)(2)of the Act as a memberof the professionsholding an advanceddegreewith
anythinglessthana full baccalaureatedegree(plustherequisitefive yearsof progressiveexperience
in thespecialty). More specifically,a three-yearbachelor'sdegreewill not beconsideredto bethe
"foreignequivalentdegree"to aUnitedStatesbaccalaureatedegree.MatterofShah,171&NDec.at
245. Where the analysisof the beneficiary'scredentialsrelies on work experiencealone or a
combinationof multiple lesserdegrees,the resultis the "equivalent"of a bachelor'sdegreerather
than a "foreign equivalentdegree."' In order to haveexperienceand educationequatingto an
advanceddegreeundersection203(b)(2)of theAct, thebeneficiarymusthavea singledegreethatis
the"foreignequivalentdegree"to a UnitedStatesbaccalaureatedegree(plustherequisitefive years
of progressiveexperiencein thespecialty).8 C.F.R.§ 204.5(k)(2).
For this classification,advanceddegreeprofessional,the regulationat 8 C.F.R.§ 204.5(k)(3)(i)(B)
requiresthe submissionof an "official academicrecordshowingthatthe alienhasa United States
baccalaureatedegreeor a foreign equivalentdegree"(plus evidenceof five yearsof progressive
experiencein thespecialty). For classificationasa memberof theprofessions,the regulationat 8
Compare 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(h)(4)(iii)(D)(3) (defining for purposesof a nonimmigrantvisa
classification,the "equivalenceto completionof a collegedegree"asincluding,in certaincases,a
specificcombinationof educationandexperience). The regulationspertainingto the immigrant
classificationsoughtin thismatterdonotcontainsimilarlanguage.
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C.F.R. § 204.5(l)(3)(ii)(C) requiresthe submissionof "an official college or university record
showingthedatethebaccalaureatedegreewasawardedandtheareaof concentrationof study." We
cannotconcludethat the evidencerequiredto demonstratethat an alien is an advanceddegree
professionalis anylessthantheevidencerequiredto showthatthealienis a professional.To doso
would underminethe congressionallymandatedclassification schemeby allowing a lesser
evidentiary standardfor the more restrictive visa classification. Moreover, the commentary
accompanyingthe proposedadvanceddegreeprofessionalregulationspecifically statesthat a
"baccalaureatemeansa bachelor'sdegreereceivedfrom a collegeor university,or an equivalent
degree." (Emphasisadded.) 56 Fed.Reg.30703,30306(July 5, 1991). Compare8 C.F.R.
§ 204.5(k)(3)(ii)(A) (relating to aliensof exceptionalability requiring the submissionof "an ofAcial
academicrecordshowingthatthe alienhasa degree,diploma,certificateor similar awardfrom a
college,university,schoolor otherinstitutionof learningrelatingto theareaof exceptionalability").
Thekeyto determiningthejob qualificationsarefoundonFormETA 750,Item 14which requiresa
master'sdegreeor equivalentin computerscience,technologyor businessadministrationandtwo
yearsof experiencein thejob offeredin additionto thedegree.
The recordcontainsthe beneñeiary'sBachelorof Sciencedegreein applied science(computer
technology)andtranscriptsfor the threeyearsof studies,andMasterof BusinessAdministration
degreeandtranscriptsfor thetwo yearsof studiesbothfrom BharathiarUniversityin Indiain March
1996andApril 1998respectively.
Onmotion,counselsubmitsthefollowing educationalevaluation:
• An evaluationfrom Theevaluationis datedMay 6, 2010.
The evaluationis signedby The evaluationdescribesthe
beneficiary's educationas being the equivalent of a U.S. Master of Business
Administrationdegree.
USClS may, in its discretion,useas advisoryopinionsstatementssubmittedasexperttestimony.
SeeMatter of CaronInternational,19 I&N Dec. 791, 795 (Commr. 1988). However,USCISis
ultimately responsiblefor making the final determinationregardingan alien's eligibility for the
benefitsought.Id. Thesubmissionof lettersfrom expertssupportingthepetitionis notpresumptive
evidenceof eligibility. USCISmayevaluatethecontentof thelettersasto whethertheysupportthe
alien'seligibility. Seeid. USCISmaygive lessweight to an opinionthat is not corroborated,in
accordwith otherinformationor is in anyway questionable.Id. at 795. SeealsoMatter ofSoffici,
22 I&N Dec. 158.165(Commr.1998)(citingMatter of TreasureCraft of California, 14I&N Dec.
190(Reg.Commr.1972));Matterof D-R-,25 I&N Dec.445(BIA 20ll)(expertwitnesstestimony
maybegivendifferentweightdependingontheextentof theexpert'squalificationsor therelevance,
reliability,andprobativevalueof thetestimony).
The Silberzweigevaluationis not persuasivein establishingthat the beneficiary'seducationfrom
Indiais theequivalentof a U.S.Masterof BusinessAdministrationdegree.Theevaluationattempts
Page6
to assignavalueto thebeneficiary'scourses.However,therationalebehindthesecreditassignments
is not substantiated.Moreover,the evaluationdoesnot explainhow the evaluatordeterminedthe
numberof credit hours for eachcourseand doesnot define a numberof credit hours for the
beneficiary'scompletededucationoverall.Although the evaluatorcomparesthe beneficiary'sfive
yearsof educationto compressedU.S.bachelor/masterprograms,it hasnot beenestablishedthatthe
I eneficiary'seducationcontainedall of the creditsthatthebeneficiary'seducationcontainedall of
thecreditsandrequirementsof a U.S.bachelor'sdegreeplusaU.S.MBA. Moreover,theevaluation
is not peer-reviewednor relies on peer-reviewedmaterials in reaching the unsubstantiated
conclusions.Accordingly, in this matter, the AAO will prefer the peer-reviewedinformation
providedby EDGEon the equivalencyof the beneficiary'sforeign educationto a U.S. master's
degree.
EDGEwascreatedby theAmericanAssociationof CollegiateRegistrarsandAdmissionsOfficers
(AACRAO). According to its website,www.aacrao.org,AACRAO is "a nonprofit, voluntary,
professionalassociationof more than 11,000 higher education admissionsand registration
professionalswho representapproximately2,600institutionsandagenciesin theUnited Statesand
in over 40 countries."Seehttp://www.aacrao.org/About-AACRAO.aspx(accessedJune25, 2012
and incorporatedinto the record of proceeding). Its mission "is to provide professional
development,guidelinesandvoluntarystandardsto be usedby highereducationofficials regarding
the best practicesin recordsmanagement,admissions,enrollmentmanagement,administrative
informationtechnologyandstudentservices."Id. In ConfluenceIntern.,Inc. v. Holder,2009WL
825793(D. Minn.March27,2009),afederaldistrictcourtdeterminedthattheAAO providedarational
explanationfor itsrelianceoninformationprovidedby AACRAOtosupportitsdecision.
According to the login page, EDGE is "a web-basedresourcefor the evaluationof foreign
educationalcredentials"thatis continuallyupdatedandrevisedby staff andmembersof AACRAO.
"AACRAO EDGE Login,"
http://aacraoedge.aacrao.org/index.php(accessedJune25, 2012ancincorporatedinto the recordof
proceeding).In TiscoGroup,Inc. v.Napolitano,2010WL 3464314(E.D.Mich.August30,2010),a
federaldistrict court found that USCIShad properly weighedthe evaluationssubmittedand the
informationobtainedfrom EDGEto concludethatthealien'sthree-yearforeign"baccalaureate"and
foreign "Master's" degreewere comparableto a U.S. bachelor'sdegree. In SunshineRehab
Services,Inc., 2010WL 3325442(E.D.Mich.August20, 2010),a federaldistrict court uphelda
USCISconclusionthatthe alien'sthree-yearbachelor'sdegreewasnot a foreignequivalentdegree
to a U.S.bachelor'sdegree.Specifically,thecourtconcludedthatUSCISwasentitledto preferthe
informationin EDGE anddid not abuseits discretionin reachingits conclusion.The court also
notedthat the laborcertificationitself requireda degreeanddid not allow for the combinationof
educationandexperience.Thereasoningin thesedecisionsis persuasive.
In thesectionrelatedto theIndianeducationalsystem,EDGEprovidesthata three-yearBachelorof
Sciencedegree"representsattainmentof a level of educationcomparableto two to threeyearsof
university study in the United States.Credit may be awardedon a course-by-coursebasis."
Moreover,EDGEfurtherstatesthattheMasterof BusinessAdministration"representsattainmentof
alevelof educationcomparableto abachelor'sdegreein theUnitedStates."
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Basedon thejuried opinion of EDGE,the AAO hasconcludedthatthe beneficiary'seducationis
morelikely thannot comparableto a bachelor'sdegreein the United States. However,the Form
ETA 750requiresa master'sdegreeastheminimumeducationalrequirement,andthus,hedoesnot
qualifyfor preferencevisaclassificationundersection203(b)(2)of theAct.
The burdenof proof in theseproceedingsrestssolelywith the petitioner.Section291 of the Act, 8
U.S.C.§ 1361.Thepetitionerhasnotsustainedthatburden.Accordingly,thepreviousdecisionsof the
directorandtheAAO will notbedisturbed.
ORDER: Themotionto reconsideris grantedandthedecisionof theAAO datedApril 19,2010is
affirmed. Thepetitionis denied.