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1 (June 12, 2003)

handle is hein.crs/crsuntaagwf0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 
Order Code  RS21543
       June  12, 2003


                    Immigration Policy for Intracompany
              Transfers (L Visas): Issues and Legislation
       PROVIDED BY
       The leading                      Ruth Ellen Wasem
         immigration
rLw cou                           Specialist in Social Legislation
   http/ /www ilw.com      Domestic Social Policy Division


Summary


     Concerns are growing that the visa category that allows executives and managers
 of multinational corporations to work temporarily in the United States is being misused.
 This visa category, commonly referred to as the L visa, permits multinational firms to
 transfer top-level personnel to their locations in the United States for 5 to 7 years.
 Although the number of L visas issued has tripled in the past 20 years, the number of L
 visas that the Department of State issued in FY2002 (112,624) is down from a high of
 120,538 in FY2001. Some are now charging that firms are using the L visa to transfer
 rank and file professional employees rather than limiting these transfers to top-level
 personnel, thus circumventing immigration laws aimed at protecting U.S. employees
 from the potential adverse employment effects associated with an increase in the number
 of foreign workers. Proponents of current law maintain that any restrictions on L visas
 would prompt  many multinational firms to leave the U.S., as well as undermine
 reciprocal agreements that currently permit U.S. corporations to transfer their employees
 abroad. Legislation that would amend the L-1 visa has been introduced (H.R. 2154).
 This report tracks legislative activity and will be updated as action warrants.

 Background

    Overview  of Nonimmig   rants. Foreign nationals may be admitted to the United
States temporarily or may come to live permanently. Those admitted on a permanent
basis are known as immigrants or legal permanent residents (LPRs), while those admitted
on a temporary basis are known as nonimmigrants.1 Nonimmigrants include a wide range
of people, such as tourists, foreign students, diplomats, temporary agricultural workers,
exchange visitors, internationally-known entertainers, foreign media representatives,
business personnel, and crew members on foreign vessels. Most of these nonimmigrant
visa categories are defined in § 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
These visa categories are commonly referred to by the letter and numeral that denotes


' For background, see CRS Report RS20916, Immigration and Naturalization Fundamentals, and
CRS Report RL31381, U.S. Immigration Policy on Temporary Admissions, both by Ruth Ellen
Wasem.


Congressional   Research  Service +  The Library of Congress


CRS Report for Congress

              Received through the CRS Web

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