PF Cheng's Law Blog

Well, what do you know, more than 2 weeks after the start of the H-1B season, there are still spaces available!  This is both good news and bad news from an attorney's point of view.  The good news is that I can continue to file petitions on behalf of my clients; the bad news of course is that companies are just not hiring foreign workers, hence the relatively low number of petitions.

According to the data released by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as of April 9th, they have received only 42,000 H-1B petitions.  Considering that the annual cap is 65,000, that means you still have over 23,000 spaces available for those interested in applying.  In the past couple years, the quota was filled on the first day of application, so the fact that this year's quota lasted this long is a truly astounding turn of events.

The relatively low number of applicants is a direct result of the economic recession.  Firms in every sector are laying off employees, and this means more people are competiting for less number of jobs.  Even jobs traditionally held by foreigners (or jobs that used to be deemed undesirable) are now being pursued by highly qualified American applicants.  In this economic climate, a foreign worker has to be truly outstanding to justify the efforts that an employer must expand in securing his H-1B.

First of all, the employer must pay a 1,000 dollar mandatory employer fee for each foreign workers that he employs.  In addition, the employer must comply with government regulations and file a Labor Condition Application (LCA) with the regional office of the U.S. Department of Labor. The employer must then keep a complete record for each H1B worker; including the prevailing wage determination, working conditions documents, the LCA, and other documents.  Last but not least, the employer must pay all costs and fees associated with an employee's H-1B application (many employees volunteer to pay the fees out of their own pocket, that is actually against ther rule).  In all, an employer can expect to pay anywhere between 4,000 to 5,000 dollars for each foreign employee.  Back when the economy is strong and skilled workers are in short supply, firms are willing to pay these costs.  But now that the economy is in the trenches, a foreign H-1B worker, with all the associated costs, suddenly becomes a rather unappealing option.

Bella Trattoria, located on 4258 Main Street in Manayunk, is my favourite Italian restaurants in the city of Philadelphia. 

Personally, I prefer going during the lunch time, where the price is cheaper and there are fewer guests.  Unlike some restaurants that serve tiny portions during lunch, Bella Trattoria's lunch portions are large and fillling; making it a better value than the dinner servings, which are twice as expensive but only marginally bigger.  To put it bluntly, Bella Trattoria is a great value for lunch, but only of average value for dinner.

Of all the dishes available, my favourite is the risotto pescatora.  Very few Italian restaurants offer a risotto dish (at least not Olive Garden), and even fewer knows how to do it right!  Bella Trattoria's risotto is moist, creamy, flavorful, and ladden with every kind of seafood imaginable.  And the best part is they didn't skim on the seafood.  Instead of a couple small shrimps and 4 or 5 clams, you can expect plenty of seafood in every bite!  As for the other dishes, I find most of their pasta dishes to be quite delicious, but the meat and poultry dishes are just pedestrian.  I have never tried their pizza dishes, so no comments on that.

As for the negatives; the food quality at Bella Trattoria can be wildly inconsistent.  90 percent of the time you are going to get a great meal; but every now and then the food will come out all twisted, as if cooked by an novice chef.  For example, the same soup may taste completely different on 2 seperate visits, and on one occassion the chef forgot to add any seafood to my seafood pasta! These incidents are few and far between, but they do leave a bad taste (no pun intended) in your mouth.

Overall, I think the Bella Trattoria is great for a delicious and affordable lunch; but just average for dinner.  I will give it a 4 out of 5 for lunch, and a 3 out of 5 for dinner.

Rode the Acela Express to New York today, and as comfortable as it is, I must say it is a royal waste of money.

For those not familiar with the Acela Express, it is the fastest passenger train currently offered by Amtrak.Available only on the east coast between Boston and Washington DC, the Acela is loosely based on the French TGV, but modified to run on existing US tracks (the French TGV runs on specially built high speed tracks), thus restricting its top speed to about 150 mph.

As the top of the line train in the Amtrak inventory, the Acela Express certainly gets high marks for its appearance.Unlike the square, boxy looking locomotives used by other trains, the Acela power car has a sloped front not unlike the German ICE, giving it a very lean and sporty look!The interior is just as appealing; with bright and airy cabins, large picture windows, and clean, modern styling.

Unfortunately, that is about all the good things I have to say about the train, and the positives are just not enough to overcome the negatives.The most glaring fault with the Aclea Express is the price, which is freaking expensive!I paid about 110 dollars for a one way ride from Philadelphia to New York, and that is with a 20 percent discount.Without the discount code, the price will be 140 dollars!That is more than twice as expensive as a regular Amtrak train, and almost a hundred times more expensive than taking the Megabus!

Now I am sure some people are willing to pay top dollars for the convenience and the speed, but herein lies the second problem with the Acela Express – it is neither convenient nor fast!A regular Amtrak train such as the Northeast Regional will take you from Philly to New York in about 1 hour and 20 minutes; the Aclea Express on the other hand takes 1 hour 8 minutes to cover that same distance.  In case you are wondering, that is a difference of only 12 minutes!I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t consider paying more than double the regular ticket price to save 12 minutes to be a good use of my hard earned money.

While at King of Prussia this afternoon, I noticed a new vendor at the Food Court – Five Guys Famous Burger and Fries.I have never heard of this restaurant chain before, but I am always a big sucker for good fries, so I decided to give it a try.

The menu selection is quite limited; in addition to the fries and burger, they also sell hot dogs and little burgers, and that is pretty much it.The price is quite expensive for a fast food chain, regular fries cost about 2.5 dollars, and the burgers cost around 5 dollars each.My order of one bacon cheese hotdog with large fries comes to more than 9 dollars after tax, which is a lot more than I would like to spend for a fast food meal.With that kind of price tag, the fries better be damn good or I am going to be really pissed!

The service is quite slow.After placing my order I had to wait for over 15 minutes for the food to be ready, which pretty much negates the whole point of having fast food.As for the food itself, it is better than your typical McDonalds, but not quite good enough to justify the 9 dollar price tag.The fries are fresh and moist, but tastes a little plain, and in no way compares to the Boardwalk fries, which in my opinion is still the best fries I have ever tasted.On a scale of 1 to 5, I will probably rate the fries a 3.5.

As for the hot dog, I must say it is a major disappointment.For something that costs almost 5 dollars, I was expecting something a little more filling.Instead all I got was this small hot dog with melted cheese and bacon bits.To its credit the food was fresh and quite tasty, but that is to be expected when you are paying 5 dollars.If the hot dog was 3 dollars I will probably give it a much more positive review; but for 5 bucks, this just doesn’t cut it!I give the hot dog a 2.5 out of 5 points.

In conclusion, I don’t think I will come back to this vendor again anytime soon.I may come back for the fries, but definitely not for the hot dogs.

Next door to the King of Prussia mall, you will find the Valley Forge National Historical Park, which is a popular destination for weary Philadelphians looking to get out of the city and reconnect with nature.

Having slept through most of my history class, I don’t really understand the historical significance of Valley Forge.I know George Washington and his troops camped here during the winter of 1777 while fighting the revolutionary war against the British, and I know Snoopy often fancies himself as a soldier stationed in Valley Forge, but that is about the extent of my knowledge with this place.If you are interested in all that historical stuff, I am sure the visitor center will have all the answers for you.But for now it is enough to just remember that this is a beautiful and scenic place that is fun for the whole family.

The best time to visit Valley Forge National Historical Park is during the summer, when the Park Service will offer guided tours and even reenactments of historical battles.But regardless of when you visit, you will always find beautiful vistas, rolling green hills, faithfully restored period architecture, and abundant wild life.On the weekends, the Valley Forge is a popular place for family picnics, and during the evening, many locals will come out to watch the beautiful sunset, or to enjoy a leisurely after-dinner stroll through the park.Kids can play around on the grassy plains, while sport lovers can bike or hike on over 40 miles of trails.As I said at the beginning, more than a historical battle field, the Valley Forge is first and foremost a place for the weary city dwellers to enjoy nature and reconnect with the outdoors.

If you are into shopping, then you are absolutely going to love the King of Prussia Mall. Touted as the biggest shopping mall on the United States east coast, the King of Russia is located about 35 minutes to the northwest of Philadelphia, and is a popular shopping venue for both locals and out-of-state visitors alike.

Besides being big, what distinguishes the King of Prussia from other malls in the area is that it is also expensive. In addition to all the generic labels, you are going to find all sorts of famous and expensive brand names here; such as Armani, Coach, Burberry, Cartier, Gucci, Louis Vitton, Tiffany, Ralph Lauren, and many others that I have never heard of. The mall’s 400 plus stores are divided into 2 buildings; the Plaza, and the Court, with the Plaza being the larger of the 2. Each building is 2 stories in height, and employs some pretty upscale building materials, reminding you once again that this shopping mall caters primarily to the rich and famous. One can’t help but feel inadequate when walking around this mall, for some of the items available for sale are so expensive I probably won’t be able to afford them in a million years. Never the less, it is still fun to admire all the high price goods and fantasize about what life could be like if you ever win the lottery (or inherits a large sum of money from some long lost rich uncle).

If you are hungry from all that shopping, fear not, the King of Prussia mall has got you covered, with everything from simple fast food to upscale gourmet dining! There are over 40 restaurants and dining outlets in the mall itself, and if you include all the restaurants surrounding the mall, the number can easily top a hundred. Here you will find some of the best restaurants the city of Philadelphia has to offer, including Morton’s Steak House, and Ruth Chris. If you enjoy your trip so much you don’t want to leave, you can stay in any of 10 hotels nearby; from budget Motel 6 to upscale Crowne Plaza.

With the vast number of shops, dining, and lodging options available at the King of Prussia Mall, it is no wonder that this place attracts a vast number of visitors every year, and is a popular weekend destination for local Philadelphians. This is not the place to come if you are budget conscious or thrifty, but if you are filthy rich and looking for that expensive gift to impress your woman (or man), then this is the place for you.

A lot of Philadelphia residents frequent the Costco in Delaware, which is located about 40 minutes south of downtown Philadelphia.The reason for this is simple economics; for unlike Philadelphia, which has a 7 percent sales tax, all sales in Delaware are tax free.So if you purchase an expensive piece of electronics, such as a HD television set worth 3,000 dollars, you can save 210 dollars instantly, and that is not counting Costco’s already low prices to begin with.  Considering this crappy economy we are in, that is quite a substantial saving!

To get maximum savings out of your Costco visit, line up all your friends and family members and go as a group.When you go by yourself, you are restricted to small sales because you will be hesitant to buy large quantities of perishable items such as meat, fruits, or vegetables.But go as a group, and you can buy in large quantities and split amongst yourself when you get home; not to mention you will have more people to help carry the bags, split the cost of gas, and keep you company on the road.  And don't forget to check www.costco.com before you go for last minute discount coupons and vouchers. 

If you do decide to go alone, you can still have a great time without spending a lot of money.When in Costco, make sure you take part in the sacred Costco ritual – otherwise known as the “how many free samples can you eat” contest.Go from aisle to aisle, and try as many samples as you can.Not only do the samples change from day to day, they even change from hour to hour; with some samples only lasting for minutes before they ran out.Today I managed to sample 7 items; salmon spread, sweet and sour chicken, seafood pasta, honey cured ham, garlic and herb cheese, freeze dried mango slices, and strawberry cake.The cheese, salmon spread and ham makes for a great appetizer platter, the pasta and chicken can be the entrée, throw in the cake as desert, and all that is lacking from the table today is a glass of wine!

In the end, I spent 425 dollars today, and saved about 30 dollars in tax.Cost of driving to Costco is about 7 dollars in gas, for a net saving of 23 dollars.Not exactly enough to retire upon, but still better than nothing.

Despite being the cradle of liberty, the birthplace of the Constitution, former capital of the United States, and home of the cheese steak, Philadelphia has always been regarded by most pundits as a second tier city and shunned by most tourists, domestic and foreign alike.But while Philadelphia may not be as big as New York, or as grand as Washington DC, it still has a lot to offer to the average tourist.

In the Art Museum of Philadelphia and the Rodin Museum, Philadelphia has some of the best art museums this country has to offer.For those with a taste for the bizarre, they can visit the Mutter Museum; home to over 20,000 preserved anatomical and pathological specimens and medical anomalies.

History buffs will get a kick out of the Independence Park, the old city, and the recently completed Constitution Center; while World War 2 fans can explore the Battleship New Jersey museum and the Independence Seaport Museum.

Sports fans can watch the 2008 World Champion Phillies play ball at the beautiful Citizens Bank Park.If baseball is not your sport, you are always free to choose between basketball (76ers), football (Eagles), ice hockey (Flyers), or a multitude of minor league teams and college sports offered by the city’s colleges and universities.

Like shopping? Then you won’t want to miss the biggest mall on the United States east coast – King of Prussia Mall; or the boutique shops on Walnut Street and nearby South Street. If you have a car with you, drive down to neighboring Delaware and enjoy tax free shopping.

I am not a fan of the Inter-Continental Hotel group; never has, and likely never will be.I just find the hotels too old fashioned, and I don’t mean that in an elegant, classical sense, but “ you feel you have aged 10 years by simply being there” kind of old fashioned.

That said, I have the opportunity to visit the Holiday Inn Express in downtown Philadelphia tonight, and while it is not going to turn me into a believer, I must admit it is better than I imagined.For people coming to Philadelphia looking for budget accommodation without sacrificing convenience, this is definitely a hotel you should consider.

Lobby is small and uninspired.This is budget accommodation and it shows.The staff is friendly, but service is quite slow.Holiday Inn really needs to do a better job training its employees if it hopes to compete with other budget chains such as the Courtyard or the Hampton Inns.

The room however, exceeds my expectations.It is quite large for a budget hotel, and looks to be renovated recently.It even has a 32” flat screen TV (unfortunately no HD channels.Why use a HD set if you have no HD channels is beyond me).

Bathroom is quite small, and the sink is located on the outside, separated from the rest of the bathroom.I guess the thinking behind this is to allow other members of your group access to the sink when someone is using the toilet; but by having the sink outside, it also means he who uses the toilet will be opening the door with unwashed hands, not really hygienic if you ask me.

In addition to taking the bus, another viable option for getting from Philadelphia to New York is to take the Amtrak (or its cheaper alternative, the New Jersey transit).Generally speaking, Amtrak operates only 2 classes of trains for this route; the faster and more luxurious Acela, and everything else.So don’t be confused by all the different names you see on the Amtrak website (such as the Northeast regional, Keystone, or Vermonter); except for the different stops, they are all identical.

The first rule of thumb when taking Amtrak - keep your expectations low.Just because America is technologically advanced doesn’t mean Amtrak is technologically advanced!Amtrak’s passenger rail service has been losing money for years, and its equipments are in bad need of replacement.If you expect to find train services on par with those from Japan, Germany, or France, you will be sorely disappointed.

Advantages of Amtrak include:

·Comfort – the seats on the Amtrak are very comfortable; with good leg room, huge picture windows, power plugs in every seat, and plenty of storage space.

·Frequency – varies from day to day, but generally no less than 30 trains per day.

Today is April 1st.For most people April 1^st is just a day for mischief and harmless pranks; but for an immigration attorney, and the hundreds of thousands of foreigners interested in working full time in America, April 1^st is D-Day, the day when they let loose with their applications, hoping beyond hope that they will be one of the blessed few to be granted an H-1B temporary work permit.

To facilitate the employment of skilled foreign workers by US companies, every year the US government will issue 65,000 H-1B permits for use by foreign workers employed by US employers. 65,000 used to be more than enough, but that is no longer true, and for the last couple years the quota ran out as soon as it became available to the public (April 1^st), and this year it looks to be no exception even with the economic recession.

H-1B visa used to be issued out on a first come, first serve basis.But due to the deluge of H-1B applications (160,000 in 2008), the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) was forced to run a lottery to decide who among the applicants will receive a coveted H-1B visa. As a result, many applicants, even those who applied on the very first day were unable to get an H-1B visa.

The moral of the story is that if you plan to apply for an H-1B, don’t apply as a regular applicant! Try to beat the H-1B quota by applying under one of the H-1B quota exemptions.There is nothing your attorney can do about the quota; it is what the government says it is.The same is true of the H-1B lottery; it is purely a game of chance (and if your attorney tells you otherwise you should report him to the Bar disciplinary Board).So rather than subject yourself to the whims of the government or the luck of the draw, see to it that you qualify under one of the exemptions, which are unaffected by the 65,000 quota.

Ask yourself if you qualify for one of the following exemptions:

Last weekend I had a chance to visit the Shenandoah National Park.As national parks go, the Shenandoah is a major disappointment.I will admit that the Skyline drive is interesting, and I am sure come autumn this place will be bursting with color, but for late March the Shenandoah simply fails to impress.

That said, I did have one highlight for the trip – the Luray Cavern.Located about 10 minutes off the Skyline drive in the town of Luray, Virginia, the Luray Cavern is the largest natural cavern on the east coast.A single ticket will set you back 21 dollars, but if you go to their website (www.luraycaverns.com) you can download a discount coupon entitling you to a 50 percent discount off the second adult ticket, which effectively brings the cost of admission down to 15.75 dollars per person.

Entry into the cavern is by means of a 1 hour guided tour, which runs once every 30 minutes.The guide is quite knowledgeable and friendly, but the jokes they said are just borderline stupid, and most failed to illicit even a chuckle from the audience.Technically speaking you are allowed to stay in the cavern for as long as you wish, but to conserve energy, the guide will switch off the lights as he moves from room to room, so you are advised to stay close to the pack lest you get stranded in the dark.

As for the cavern itself, it has some of most intricate and spectacular stone formations you will find on the east coast.The stunning formations, coupled with the scale of the caverns and the lighting, give the cavern an otherworldly ambience.Rather than trying to describe it in words, I will simply let the pictures do the talking.

The ticket also includes admission to the cavern’s vintage automobile collection (which I did not visit).After visiting the cavern, move onto nearby historic town of Luray for some down home cooking and quaint B&B, or if you prefer, take the highway back to Washington DC, which is less than 2 hours away.