dismissed
H-1B
dismissed H-1B Case: Computer Science
Decision Summary
The appeal was dismissed because the Director properly revoked the petition's approval. The petitioner misrepresented the number of its employees on the petition, and its explanation for the discrepancy was found to be neither reasonable nor supported by evidence, thus the statement of facts was not true and correct.
Criteria Discussed
Inaccurate Statement Of Facts Specialty Occupation
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MATTER OF N-, INC.
Non-Precedent Decision of the
Administrative Appeals Office
DATE: MAY 31,2016
APPEAL OF CALIFORNIA SERVICE CENTER DECISION
PETITION: FORM I-129, PETITION FOR A NONIMMIGRANT WORKER
The Petitioner, a computer company, seeks to temporarily employ the Beneficiary as an
"Applications Systems Engineer" under the H-IB nonimmigrant classification for specialty
occupations. See . Immigration and Nationality Act (the Act) § 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b), 8 U.S.C.
§ 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b). The H-1B program allows a U.S. employer to temporarily employ a qualified
foreign worker in a position that requires both (a) the theoretical and practical application of a body
of highly specialized knowledge and (b) the attainment of a bachelor's or higher degree in the
specific specialty (or its equivalent) as a minimum prerequisite for entry into the position.
The Director, California Service Center, revoked the approval of the petition. The Director
concluded that the statement of facts contained in the approved petition was not true and correct
pursuant to 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(h)(11)(iii)(A)(2).
The matter is now before us on appeal. In its appeal, the Petitioner asserts that the Director's
conclusion is erroneous.
Upon de novo review, the appeal will be dismissed.
I. REVOCATION
A. Legal Framework
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may revoke the approval of an H-1B petition
pursuant to 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(h)(11)(iii), which states the following:
(A) Grounds for revocation. The director shall send to the petitioner a notice of
intent to revoke the petition in relevant part if he or she finds that:
(I) The beneficiary is no longer employed by the petitioner in the capacity
specified in the petition, or if the beneficiary is no longer receiving
training as specified in the petition; or
Matter. of N-, Inc.
(2) The statement of facts contained in the petition or on the application for a
temporary labor certification was not true and correct, inaccurate,
fraudulent, or misrepresented a material fact; or
(3) The petitioner violated terms and conditions of the approved petition; or
( 4) The petitioner violated requirements of section 1 01 (a)( 15)(H) of the Act or
paragraph (h) of this section; or
(5) The approval of the petition violated paragraph (h) of this section or
involved gross error.
B. Analysis
Upon review of the record, we determine that the Director properly revoked the approval of the
petition pursuant to 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(h)(11)(iii)(A)(2): the statement of facts contained in the
petition was not true and correct.
On the Form I-129, the Petitioner represented that it has 23 current employees in the United States.
On the Form I-129, H-1B and H-1B1 Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement, the
Petitioner represented that it has a total of 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees in the United
States. The Petitioner also represented that it was eligible to pay the lower fee ($750) mandated by
the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act (ACWIA) based on its number of
employees. The Petitioner signed both forms under the penalty of perjury, certifying that all the
information contained therein was true and correct to the best of its knowledge.
In its notice of intent to revoke (NOIR) the approval of the petition, the Director advised the
Petitioner that she had obtained evidence indicating that the Petitioner employed 30 U.S. employees
at the time the Form 1-129 was filed. In response to the NOIR, the Petitioner explained that it had
relied upon its February 2015, payroll, which was the last available payroll, in order to prepare and
file the petition in March 2015. The Petitioner attested in an affidavit that it had 23 employees in
February 2015, and thus, its number of employees on the Form I -129 was not untrue and incorrect.
We find that the Director's revocation of the approval was proper. The Petitioner's explanations are
neither reasonable, nor supported by objective, credible evidence. In essence, the Petitioner is
asserting that it was unaware of its true number of employees as of March 2015, when the petition
was prepared and filed. However, as pointed out by the Director, that information should have been
available to the Petitioner as the purported employer of these individuals. Moreover, the Petitioner
asserts that the actual number of employees increased because "[s]ome employees joined the
petitioner in the month of March 2015." However, the Petitioner did not explain why it did not
. account for these newly-joined employees on the Form I-129. In other words, the Petitioner has not
established that its decision to rely upon its February payroll was reasonable, given its knowledge
that new employees had joined the company in March.
2
Matter of N-, Inc.
Notably, the Petitioner's List of Active Employees does not indicate that any employees joined the
company in March 2015, thus undermining the Petitioner's explanation.
1
In addition, this list
contains the names and information of 33 current employees- all of whom had joined the company
prior to March 2015? This information further undermines the credibility of the Petitioner's
explanation, e.g., that it only had 23 employees in February 2015.
We thus find that the statement of facts contained in the petition was not true and correct, and that
the Director properly revoked the approval of the petition pursuant to 8 C.P.R.
§ 214.2(h)(11 )(iii)(A)(2).
II. SPECIALTY OCCUPATION
We will also address another additional, independent ground, not identified by the Director's notice
of revocation, that could also warrant initiation of revocation proceedings at the discretion of the
Director. Specifically, we find that the evidence of record is insufficient to establish that the
proffered position qualifies as a specialty occupation, and thus, that the approval of the petition
violated paragraph (h) of this section or involved gross error. 8 C.P.R. § 214.2(h)(11)(iii)(A)(5).
A. Legal Framework
Section 214(i)(l) of the Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1184(i)(l), defines the term "specialty occupation" as an
occupation that requires:
(A) theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge,
and
(B) attainment of a bachelor's or higher degree in the specific specialty (or its
equivalent) as a minimum for entry into the occupation in the United States.
The regulation at 8 C.P.R.§ 214.2(h)(4)(ii) states, in pertinent part, the following:
Specialty occupation means an occupation which [(1 )] requires theoretical and
practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge in fields of human
endeavor including, but not limited to, architecture, engineering, mathematics,
physical sciences, social sciences, medicine and health, education, business
specialties, accounting, law, theology, and the arts, and which [(2)] requires the
attainment of a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific specialty, or its equivalent, as
a minimum for entry into the occupation in the United States.
1
The list contains a total of34 employees. Only one individual joined the company after March 2015.
2
These 33 employees include one employee who the Petitioner indicated was on extended leave in India. Even without
this individual, the Petitioner had at least 32 active employees in March 2015.
3
Matter of N-, Inc.
Pursuant to 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(h)(4)(iii)(A), to quality as a specialty occupation, a proposed position must
meet one of the following criteria:
(1) A baccalaureate or higher degree or its equivalent is normally the minimum
requirement for entry into the particular position;
(2) The degree requirement is common to the industry in parallel positions among
. similar organizations or, in the alternative, an employer may show that its
particular position is so complex or unique that it can be performed only by an
individual with a degree;
(3) The employer normally requires a degree or its equivalent for the position; or
( 4) The nature of the specific duties [is] so specialized and complex that knowledge
required to perform the duties is usually associated with the attainment of a
baccalaureate or higher degree.
As a threshold issue, it is noted that 8 C.F .R. § 214.2(h)( 4 )(iii)(A) must logically be read together
with section 214(i)(l) of the Act and 8 C.F.R. § 214.2{h)(4)(ii). In other words, this regulatory
language must be construed in harmony with the thrust of the related provisions and with the statute
as a whole. SeeK Mart Corp. v. Cartier, Inc., 486 U.S. 281, 291 (1988) (holding that construction
oflanguage which takes into account the design of the statute as a whole is preferred); see also COlT
Independence Joint Venture v. Fed. Sav. and Loan Ins. Corp., 489 U.S. 561 (1989); Matter o.fW-F-,
21 I&N Dec. 503 (BIA 1996). As such, the criteria stated in 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(h)(4)(iii)(A) should
logically be read as being necessary but not necessarily sufficient to meet the statutory and
regulatory definition of specialty occupation. To otherwise interpret this section as stating the
necessary and sufficient conditions for meeting the definition of specialty occupation would result in
particular positions meeting a condition under 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(h)( 4)(iii)(A) but not the statutory or
regulatory definition. See Defensor v. Meissner, 201 F.3d 384, 387 (5th Cir. 2000). To avoid this
result, 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(h)(4)(iii)(A) must therefore be read as providing supplemental criteria that
must be met in accordance with, and not as alternatives to, the statutory and regulatory definitions of
specialty occupation.
As such and consonant with section 214(i)(l) of the Act and the regulation at 8 C.F .R.
§ 214.2(h)(4)(ii), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) consistently interprets the
term "degree" in the criteria at 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(h)(4)(iii)(A) to mean not just any baccalaureate or
higher degree, but one in a specific specialty that is directly related to the proffered position. See
Royal Siam Corp. v. Chertoff, 484 F.3d 139, 147 (1st Cir. 2007) (describing "a degree requirement in
a specific specialty" as "one that relates directly to the duties and responsibilities of a particular
position"). Applying this standard, USCIS regularly approves H-lB petitions for qualified
individuals who are to be employed as engineers, computer scientists, certified public accountants,
college professors, and other such occupations. These professions, for which petitioners have
regularly been able to establish a minimum entry requirement in the United States of a baccalaureate
or higher degree in a specific specialty, or its equivalent, directly related to the duties and
4
(b)(6)
Matter of N-, Inc.
responsibilities of the particular position, fairly represent the types of specialty occupations that
Congress contemplated when it created the H-1B visa category.
To determine whether a particular job qualifies as a specialty occupation, USCIS does not simply
rely on a position's title. The specific duties of the proffered position, combined with the nature of
the petitioning entity's business operations, are factors to be considered. USCIS must examine the
ultimate employment of the individual, and determine whether the position qualifies as a specialty
occupation. See generally Defensor v. Meissner, 201 F. 3d 384. The critical element is not the title
of the position or an employer's self-imposed standards, but whether the position actually requires
the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge, and the
attainment of a baccalaureate or higher degree in the specific specialty as the minimum for entry into
the occupation, as required by the Act.
We note that, as recognized by the court in Defensor, 201 F.3d at 387-88, where the work is to be
performed for entities other than the petitioner, evidence of the client companies' job requirements is
critical. See Defensor v. Meissner, 201 F.3d at 387-88. The court held that the former Immigration
and Naturalization Service had reasonably interpreted the statute and regulations as requiring the
· petitioner to produce evidence that a proffered position qualifies as a specialty occupation on the
basis of the requirements imposed by the entities using the beneficiary's services. !d. Such evidence
must be sufficiently detailed to demonstrate the type and educational level of highly specialized
knowledge in a specific discipline that is necessary to perform that particular work.
B. The Proffered Position
According to the Form I-129, the Petitioner seeks to employ the Beneficiary as an "Applications
Systems Engineer" from October 1, 2015, to July 19, 2018. The Petitioner indicated that the
Beneficiary will work off-site in Michigan.
The labor condition application (LCA) submitted to support the visa petition states that the proffered
position corresponds to Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code and occupation title
15-1121, "Computer Systems Analysts," from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET).
The LCA further states that the proffered position is a Level I
position. The LCA lists the sole place
of employment as the Michigan address.
In its cover letter, the Petitioner stated that the Beneficiary will work out of the worksite of its
"direct-client," whose office is located in Michigan. The Petitioner listed the
duties of the proffered position as follows (verbatim):
• Engineering, design, and evaluation of new and current production application
systems and supporting infrastructure
• Operational .planning, design and implementation for new and updated programs,
inclusive of effectively utilizing tier partners
• Systems analysis and support for Internet-based solutions
5
(b)(6)
Matter of N-, Inc.
• Provide extensive troubleshooting and technical expertise in identifying issues
that impact service delivery
• Provide comprehensive troubleshooting and recommend fixes for application
issues, including batch jobs, data store, application functionality and presentation
layers
• Provide design requirements, feedback and guidance to software development
teams for operational best practices
• Analysis, stability and support of a specific subset Expedia productions systems
• Operational support as application SME for 24x7 systems, including on call
rotation duties
• Utilizing your enterprise technical expertise to drive the improvements of
production systems
• Utilizing your support expertise to set and improve existing standards for system
administration, such as process, builds, monitoring, reporting and documentation.
In support of the petition, the Petitioner submitted an Employment Agreement it executed with the
Beneficiary which provides the following description of duties (verbatim):3
[The Beneficiary] will be responsible for Core Development of the Credit Engine in
the project ASAP. It includes development of both web layer and business Layer for
the credit module using JSP's, EJB's, DAO's, JMS and Struts Framework and
deployment of the application on WebLogic.Production and QA support for the
developed components including bug fixing and enhancements.Creating clustered
Weblogic domains and deploying all the modules of the application and integrating
all the modules. Deploying · and integrating every release in Onsite
environments.Written ant scripts for creating clustered domains and deploying all the
modules.Automating the process of build and deployment using ant and also involved
in the development of Automatic Patch Process for using Java and Ant.
C. Analysis
As a preliminary matter, we find that the record of proceedings does not contain sufficient evidence
establishing the minimum educational requirement for the proffered position. There is no
documentation directly from the end-client specifying its educational requirement for the position;
the Assigned Personnel Form simply describes the "Hiring Requirements" as "Application Systems
Engineer." Despite the Petitioner's claim that the contract signed between the end-client and the
Petitioner confirms a "Bachelor's degree requirement," the contract does not contain any provisions
regarding the minimum educational requirement for assigned personnel. "[G]oing on record without
supporting documentary evidence is not sufficient for purposes of meeting the burden of proof in
3 The Petitioner subsequently submitted an "amended" Employment Agreement in response to the Director's NOIR
which noted several impermissible provisions relating to the LCA in the original Employment Agreement. Both
Employment Agreements contain virtually the same description of duties.
6
(b)(6)
Matter of N-, Inc.
these proceedings." Matter of So.ffici, 22 I&N Dec. 158, 165 (Comm'r 1998) (citing Matter of
Treasure Craft ofCal., 14 I&N Dec. 190 (Reg'l Comm'r 1972)).
Even if the contract did indicate that a bachelor's degree is required, as claimed by the Petitioner, the
mere requirement of a general bachelor's degree, without more, would be inadequate to establish
that a position qualifies as a specialty occupation.4 A petitioner must demonstrate that the proffered
position requires a precise and specific course of study that relates directly and closely to the
position in question. There must be a close correlation between the required specialized studies and
the position; thus, the mere requirement of a degree, without further specification, does not establish
the position as a specialty occupation. Cf Matter of Michael Hertz Assocs., 19 I&N Dec. 558, 560
(Comm'r 1988) ("The mere requirement of a college degree for the sake of general education, or to
obtain what an employer perceives to be a higher caliber employee, also does not establish
eligibility."). Thus, while a general-purpose bachelor's degree may be a legitimate prerequisite for a
particular position, requiring such a degree, without more, will not justify a finding that a particular
position qualifies for classification as a specialty occupation. Royal Siam Corp. v. Chertoff, 484
F.3d at 147.
Moreover, it also cannot be found that the proffered position qualifies as a specialty occupation
because the Petitioner has not credibly and sufficiently demonstrated the substantive nature of the
proffered position. 5
The evidence of record contains generalized, broad descriptions of the work to be performed by the
Beneficiary. For instance, the Assigned Personnel Form signed by the Petitioner and the end-client
simply describes the "Services to be performed" as "Design, Coding and unit testing core
components and client customization of the product." No further details about these job duties or
what "product" the Beneficiary will work on was provided in the Assigned Personnel Form. Nor
does the record of proceedings contain any other documentation directly from the end-client
verifying and describing the terms of the Beneficiary's assignment.
Notably, the evidence of record does not contain any detailed explanation about what project(s) the
Beneficiary will be assigned to work for the end-client, such as the nature, complexity, and length of
this particular project. Equally, if not more, significant is that the Petitioner has indicated that the
Beneficiary will be assigned to various projects at different end-clients. More specifically, the
Petitioner's description of the proffered position contains the duty of "[a]nalysis, stability and
support of a specific subset productions systems." In addition, the Employment Agreement
states that the Beneficiary "will be responsible for Core Development of the Credit Engine in the
4 The Petitioner also indicated that the Beneficiary is qualified for the position by virtue of his educational qualifications.
However, the test to establish a position as a specialty occupation is not the skill set or education of a proposed
beneficiary, but whether the position itself qualifies as a specialty occupation.
5
The California Secretary of State website indicates that the Petitioner's corporate status has been suspended. That is,
the Petitioner's powers, rights and privileges, including the right to use its corporate name in California, were suspended.
See attached print-outs. The Petitioner's corporate status raises questions regarding whether the Petitioner's offer of
employment to the Beneficiary is bonafide.
7
(b)(6)
Matter of N-, Inc.
project and will also be "involved in the development of Automatic Patch Process for
The Petitioner has not explained how these references to "Credit Engine in the project
and · relate to the end-client project. The Petitioner has not submitted sufficient
objective documentation establishing exactly what project(s) the Beneficiary will work on, and for
whom.
"[I]t is incumbent upon the petitiOner to resolve the inconsistencies by independent objective
evidence." Matter of Ho, 19 I&N Dec. 582, 591 (BIA 1988). Any attempt to explain or reconcile
such inconsistencies will not suffice unless the petitioner submits competent objective evidence
pointing to where the truth lies. !d. at 591-92. "Doubt cast on any aspect of the petitioner's proof
may, of course, lead to a reevaluation of the reliability and sufficiency of the remaining evidence
offered in support of the visa petition." !d. at 591.
The Petitioner states that the Beneficiary will serve as a subject matter expert or "SME" for certain
systems. In contrast, the Petitioner designated the proffered position as a Level I (entry) position.6
In designating the proffered position at a Level I wage rate, the Petitioner has indicated that the
proffered position is a comparatively low, entry-level position relative to others within the
occupation. 7 That is, in accordance with the relevant DOL explanatory information on wage levels,
this wage rate indicates that the Beneficiary is only required to have a basic understanding of the
occupation and will perform routine tasks that require limited, if any, exercise of judgment. See U.S.
Dep't of Labor, Emp't & Training Admin., Prevailing Wage Determination Policy Guidance,
Nonagric. Immigration Programs (rev. Nov. 2009), available at
http://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/pdf/NPWHC _Guidance_ Revised _11_ 2009 .pdf The
6 A Level I wage rate is described as follows:
Levell (entry) wage rates are assigned to job offers for beginning level employees who have
only a basic understanding of the occupation. These employees perform routine tasks that require
limited, if any, exercise of judgment. The tasks provide experience and familiarization with the
employer's methods, practices, and programs. The employees may perform higher level work for
training and developmental purposes. These employees work under close supervision and receive
specific instructions on required tasks and resul~s expected. Their work is closely monitored and
reviewed for accuracy. Statements that the job offer is for a research fellow, a worker in training, or an
internship are indicators that a Level I wage should be considered.
See U.S. Dep't of Labor, Emp't & Training Admin., Prevailing Wage Determination Policy Guidance, Nonagric.
Immigration Programs (rev. Nov. 2009), available at
http:/ /www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/pdf/NPWHC _Guidance_ Revised _11_ 2009 .pdf
7 The Petitioner's designation of this position as a Level I, entry-level position undermines its claim that the position is a
higher-level position compared to other positions within the same occupation. Nevertheless, a Level I wage-designation
does not preclude a proffered position from classification as a specialty occupation, just as a Level IV wage-designation
does not definitively establish such a classification. In certain occupations (e.g., doctors or lawyers), a Level I, entry
level position would still require a minimum of a bachelor's degree in a specific specialty, or its equivalent, for
entry. Similarly, however, a Level IV wage-designation would not reflect that an occupation qualifies as a specialty
occupation if that higher-level position does not have an entry requirement of at least a bachelor's degree in a specific
specialty, or its equivalent. That is, a position's wage level designation may be a relevant factor but is not itself
conclusive evidence that a proffered position meets the requirements of section 214(i)(l) of the Act.
8
Matter of N-, Inc.
Petitioner's designation of the proffered position as a Level I, entry-level position is inconsistent
with this stated job duty, and further precludes an understanding the substantive nature of the
proffered position.
The evidence of record contains other vague statements by the Petitioner and the end-client
regarding the Beneficiary's actual job duties and work location. For instance, the Assigned
Personnel Form lists the Beneficiary's "Primary work location" as the end-client's Michigan
premises. The use of the word "Primary" denotes that the Beneficiary may also be assigned ·to
perform work at other, unspecified locations. In addition, the Petitioner stated in its cover letter that
"[t]he petitioner has enough resources and financial strength to continue paying the beneficiary even
without specific project/s," and that "[i]f required, the petitioner can place the beneficiary in place of
any one of those contractor positions" which are "sourced through third party companies. 8 Likewise,
the Petitioner's Employment Agreements with the Beneficiary contain provisions indicating that the
Beneficiary may be assigned to perform undisclosed work, such as that the Beneficiary's "duties
shall be rendered at [Petitioner's] business premises or at such other places as the [Petitioner] may
require" and that he "shall also perform such other duties in the ordinary course of business as
performed by other persons in similar such positions, as well as such other reasonable duties as may
be assigned from time to time by the [Petitioner]." When considered as a whole, the evidence of
record lacks a sufficient, detailed explanation of all the work the Beneficiary will be assigned to
perform during the entire validity period requested, including the location(s) of such work, the end
client(s) involved, and the specific job duties to be performed.
Finally, we note that the Assigned Personnel Form misspells the Beneficiary's name and lists his
end-date as October 12, 2018, even though the Petitioner requested a validity period ending on July
19, 2018. 9 The Petitioner's Employment Agreements also misspell the Beneficiary's name. We
thus must question whether there exists a legally binding contract between the Beneficiary and the
Petitioner, as well as between the Petitioner and the end-Client utilizing the Beneficiary's services, as
claimed.
For all of the above reasons, we find the evidence of record insufficient to demonstrate the
substantive nature of the proffered position and its constituent duties. Consequently, the evidence of
record does not demonstrate the proffered position satisfies · any criterion at 8 C.F .R.
§ 214.2(h)(4)(iii)(A), because it is the substantive nature of the proffered position that determines (1) the
normal minimum educational requirement for the particular position, which is the focus of criterion 1;
(2) industry positions which are parallel to the proffered position and thus appropriate for review for a
common degree requirement, under the first alternate prong of criterion 2; (3) the level of complexity or
uniqueness of the proffered position, which is the focus of the second alternate prong of criterion 2;
(4) the factual justification for a petitioner normally requiring a degree or its equivalent, when that is an
8 The Petitioner states that it has a direct contractual relationship with the end-client, thus indicating that there are no
third-party or vendor companies involved.
9
The Petitioner did not request the maximum three years for the Beneficiary's duration of stay, which would have ended
on September 30, 2018.
9
Matter of N-, Inc.
issue under criterion 3; and (5) the degree of specialization and complexity of the specific duties, which
is the focus of criterion 4.
As the evidence of record is insufficient to establish that the proffered position qualifies as a
specialty occupation, it would have been within the scope of the Director's authority to initiate
revocation-on-notice proceedings regarding this issue upon proper notice to the Petitioner of her
intent to do so.
III. CONCLUSION
Upon review of the record, we determine that the Director properly revoked the approval of the
petition pursuant to 8 C.F.R. § 214.2(h)(ll)(iii)(A)(2). The petition will remain revoked and the
appeal dismissed. In visa petition proceedings, it is the Petitioner's burden to establish eligibility for
the immigration benefit sought. Section 291 of the Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1361; Matter ofOtiende, 26 I&N
Dec. 127, 128 (BIA 2013) (citing Matter of Brantigan, 11 I&N Dec. 493, 495 (BIA 1966)). Here,
that burden has not been met.
ORDER: The appeal is dismissed.
Cite as Matter ofN-, Inc., ID# 17016 (AAO May 31, 2016)
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