12 Dec USCIS Grants 3 Year Extension of H-1B Status for Analytical Chemist
Our immigration lawyers successfully represented a private company servicing the U.S. chemical and pharmaceutical industries in obtaining approval for a 3 year extension of H-1B status for a beneficiary in the position of Analytical Chemist. The beneficiary had been lawfully employed in H-1B status with the company for an initial 3 year period and the company filed Form I-129 to request an extension of H-1B status for an additional 3 year period. The company acts a business consultant to chemical and pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. who want to manufacture customized products overseas at a lower cost than would be required to manufacture the products in the U.S.
The job duties of the position involved communicating with customers to determine the quality standards and technical and logistical concerns for the chemical products manufactured overseas, developing analytical methods and performing laboratory chemical analysis to ensure the quality of imported products, working with the overseas manufacturing plant Quality Assurance personnel to address quality issues and refine product technical specifications, and writing technical reports for Quality Assurance analysis.
The Analytical Chemist position required theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and attainment of a United States Bachelor’s Degree or its equivalent in Chemistry or a related field. The beneficiary was qualified for the position as she had been awarded a Master of Science Degree in Chemistry. The beneficiary’s educational background served as evidence of her ability to carry out the duties required of the position.
Our immigration lawyers prepared the petition submission to USCIS which included the relevant portions of Form I-129, a certified Labor Condition Application, a letter from the company regarding the job offered, and printouts from the company’s website providing information on the specific business of the company. In addition, a certified copy of the beneficiary’s Degree and Academic Transcript were included to show the beneficiary had been awarded the Degree of Master of Science in Chemistry and was qualified for the position.
The filing of the petition automatically extended the beneficiary’s work authorization for a period of 240 days past the expiration date of the beneficiary’s existing H-1B status. USCIS approved the petition and granted a 3 year extension of the beneficiary’s H-1B status, allowing her to remain employed in the U.S. by the petitioner as an Analytical Chemist.