A perennial RFE issue for H-1B beneficiaries is mismatched education. This is an easy trap to fall into, and one that you can fall into in multiple ways, occurring when the beneficiary’s education is anything but a bachelor’s degree or higher from a US accredited academic institution with a major that is an exact match for the H-1B job. That means the following situations are red flags:
- US bachelor’s or higher degree in a different major
- Generalized US bachelor’s degree
- Degree earned outside of the United States
- Degree from an unaccredited institution
- Incomplete college
- No college.
Since there are many pathways through education – especially when it comes to highly skilled individuals – H-1B beneficiaries are likely to have deviated from the traditional course at some point. It is up to your petition team to identify where these deviations are and address them before USCIS does.
Here is how:
Include a credential evaluation with your initial petition that fills in any gaps between the beneficiary’s education and a US degree in the exact major of the H-1B job. This must be written to uniquely address the beneficiary’s education, training and work experience, as well as the job, H-1B eligibility requirements, and USCIS approval trends. If a credential evaluation agencies does not ask about or mention all of these factors, look elsewhere. If they are not responsive via your chosen method of communication, look elsewhere. If they charge exorbitant fees and don’t offer affordable rush delivery options, look elsewhere. These factors make it clear that they do not understand your situation.
Three years of progressive work experience in the field of the H-1B job can be converted into one year of college credit in that major. This conversion must be written by a professor authorized to grant college credit for work experience. With this strategy, alongside course credit, course content, and non-collegiate training and education, the right credential evaluation can show the beneficiary has the equivalency of the required degree in terms of US academic value.
At CCI TheDegreePeople.com we work with professors authorized to grant college credit for work experience. We write every evaluation uniquely to fit the situation, we are dedicated to seamless communication, and are always affordable even at the last minute.
For a free review of your case visit www.ccifree.com. We will respond in 4 hours or less.
Sheila Danzig
Sheila Danzig is the director of CCI TheDegreePeople.com. Sheila specializes in overturning RFEs and Denials for work visas.