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An Analysis of NIW Cases Approved from July to September 2011

From July to September 2011, our firm received 133 NIW case approvals. USCIS approved 129 of these cases without a Request ForEvidence. In addition, from July to September 2011, our firm also received 65 EB-1 case approvals.

Out of the 133 NIW cases approved in the past three months, most applicants had a Ph. D degree. However, 16 of these applicants, or approximately 12%, only had a Master’s degree. We had a noteworthy client who only received a Bachelor degree but had ten years’ research experience on a rare area. He had 30 journal papers with 257 independent citations and several reference letters from some world-famous scholar in his field, which makes his case a strong claim to USCIS. On the contrary, those who work in fields related to computer, engineering, medicine and biology are forced to compete with a large number of applicants. Of which, USCIS can only approve the strongest.

PhD	110	82.71%
Master	16	12.03%
Bachelor	1	0.75%
N/A	6	4.51%

Those who work as a “postdoctoral fellow”, “research scientist” or any other similar title mainly conduct research, produce papers, and attend conferences. Because of the nature of scientific work, such applicants find it easier to show that they have exerted national influence and sustained a past record of achievement through more objective evidence (i.e. citations, downloads, commercialization of work, etc). Of course, this should not discourage you from applying if you feel you lack such evidence. On the contrary, each case varies and USCIS could deem your particular qualifications and skill set to be of intrinsic merit to the United States. As shown above, USCIS does not adjudicate petitions solely on the basis of concrete numbers. With our highly experienced attorneys, we will help you highlight your strongest professional assets, while downplaying your weaker ones.

In addition to the above, we have also compiled other relevant data from our sample. Among the sample of approved applicants, many conducted research in Engineering, Medical, and Biology related fields while a few approved applicants work in Physics, Chemistry, and other fields. The average number of journal papers published by these applicants was 10. The average number of citations they received was 89 and the median number of citations was 44. The average processing time for these applicants was 229 days or over seven months. The longest it took to approve an application was 406 days, while the shortest was 37 days.

Average Journal papers	10
Average Independent citation	89
Average Processing time	229

Again, before you start the application process, it is imperative that you consult a highly trained legal professional, particularly since USCIS has experienced delays in processing NIW applications. By consulting with an attorney at our firm, you will learn not only learn about your options, but also specific application strategies for your immigration needs.

If you are interested in contacting us for a free consultation, please call our offices at 1-800-230-7040 or email us at info@hooyou.com.

For more information on the 133 NIW cases approved from July to September 2011, please refer to the table below.

Case	Degree	Research field	Journal papers	Citations	Job title	RFE	Processing dates
1	Master	gastroenterology and hematology	23	69	gastroenterology fellow; instructor		226
2	PhD	petroleum and natural gas engineering	12	0	petroleum engineer		113
3	PhD	inorganic chemistry	6	80	post-doctoral fellow		290
4	PhD	biochemistry	4	0	Life scientist		325
5	Master	biomedical research	3	0	research health scientist		249
6	PhD	drug discovery and development	13	95	postdoctoral associate		213
7	PhD	biochemistry	4	435	senior application and support engineer		252
8	PhD	organic chemistry	4	93	Associate scientific information analyst		215
9	Master	medicinal chemistry	4	18	scientist		141
10	PhD	free radical and radiation biology	18	380	post-doctor		97
11	PhD	electrical and computer engineering	3	123	strategist		268
12	PhD	research assistant professor	19	154	medical research		249
13	PhD	materials science	9	11	post-doctoral research fellow		110
14	PhD	biomedical science	8	35	biomedical research		208
15	PhD	geochemistry	3	10	specialist in stable isotopes		118
16	PhD	physics	23	71	physicist		289
17	PhD	electrical engineering	20	115	research assistant		225
18	Master	chemistry	3	11	research scientist		274
19	Master	medicine	6	128	physician		254
20	PhD	geophysics	3	17	geophysicist		43
21	PhD	physics	25	86	visiting scientist		290
22	PhD	plant biology	N/A	N/A	post-doctoral research assistant		231
23	PhD	electrical engineering	5	5	research associate specialist		304
24	PhD	microbiology	6	133	research teaching specialist		194
25	PhD	industrial engineering	3	54	managing engineer		283
26	PhD	environmental science	5	3	postdoctoral researcher		121
27	Master	chemical engineering	9	91	engineer/scientist	YES	164
28	PhD	plant breeding and plant genetic program	9	120	postdoc associate		287
29	PhD	economics	5	35	senior research fellow		111
30	PhD	biology engineering	19	705	research fellow		136
31	PhD	electrical engineering	12	74	professor		187
32	PhD	biochemistry and molecular biology	17	80	biomedical researcher		265
33	PhD	mechanical engineering	8	14	engineer		118
34	PhD	biology	15	32	postdoc associate		296
35	PhD	polymer science and engineering	6	12	chemist		318
36	PhD	electrical engineering	11	13	postdoctoral research associate		303
37	PhD	molecular genetics	6	41	postdoctoral fellow		296
38	Master	public health	2	14	environmental specialist		402
39	PhD	physics	5	70	postdoctoral scholar		187
40	PhD	experimental oncology	17	45	postdoctoral fellow		130
41	PhD	biology	14	83	research associate		190
42	PhD	materials science	N/A	N/A	advisory engineer/scientist	YES	341
43	PhD	agricultural science	9	15	postdoctoral research associate		225
44	PhD	mechanical engineering	5	10	postdoctoral research associate		185
45	PhD	applied economics and management	27	140	research scholar		315
46	PhD	electrical engineering	13	60	network specialist/senior consultant		266
47	PhD	mathematics	4	39	Golomb assistant professor		217
48	PhD	medicine	12	52	postdoctoral associate		298
49	PhD	cardiac electrophysiology	6	94	postdoctoral associate		168
50	PhD	physics	3	0	engineer		137
51	Master	biochemistry and molecular biology	14	87	graduate research assistant		306
52	PhD	statistics	5	4	research statistician		349
53	PhD	clinical chemistry	7	0	postdoctoral fellow		302
54	PhD	inorganic chemistry	14	148	postdoctoral research associate		336
55	Master	medicine	9	5	chief house staff physician		79
56	PhD	physics	3	50	physicist		224
57	PhD	theoretical chemistry	12	80	researcher scientist		253
58	PhD	electrical engineering	2	1	research scholar		350
59	PhD	chemistry	12	28	postdoctoral research associate		277
60	PhD	agricultural and applied economics	38	0	senior risk analyst		306
61	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A		298
62	PhD	physics	13	29	postdoctoral research associate		245
63	Master	epidemiology	6	33	state cancer epidemiologist		325
64	PhD	chemical engineering	6	29	postdoctoral research associate		264
65	PhD	chemistry	15	126	research associate		226
66	PhD	computer engineering	56	59	research scholar		160
67	PhD	electrical engineering	7	5	graduate associate/research specialist		298
68	PhD	biology	3	12	postdoctoral scholar		220
69	PhD	petroleum engineering	4	11	researcher		287
70	PhD	medical genetics	22	65	postdoctoral fellow		160
71	PhD	plastic surgery	10	34	physician		278
72	PhD	civil engineering	9	5	project manager		206
73	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A		143
74	PhD	molecular biology	8	62	postdoctoral scholar		278
75	PhD	education policy	24	45	assistant professor		88
76	PhD	neuroscience	5	157	postdoctoral research associate		406
77	PhD	entomology	14	4	postdoctoral research associate		67
78	PhD	neurology	31	0	professor and physician		277
79	PhD	organic and materials chemistry	11	21	postdoctoral researcher		276
80	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A		114
81	PhD	molecular biology	19	91	research associate		183
82	PhD	biomedical engineering	10	23	postdoctoral research fellow		317
83	PhD	electrical engineering	33	2037	assistant professor		279
84	PhD	industrial and systems engineering	4	0	researcher		37
85	PhD	biochemistry	8	164	associate research scientist		61
86	PhD	food science	3	31	postdoctoral scholar	YES	277
87	PhD	mechanical engineering	10	137	senior research associate		93
88	PhD	petroleum engineering	9	1	petroleum engineer		273
89	PhD	biochemical engineering	11	198	associate research scientist		156
90	PhD	Korea language and linguistics	5	18	lecturer and Korea language program supervisor		183
91	PhD	bioengineering	11	198	research associate scientist		169
92	PhD	physiology and biophysics	11	16	postdoctoral scholar		323
93	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A		197
94	PhD	internal medicine	30	422	postdoc associate		238
95	PhD	internal medicine	9	57	postdoctoral research associate		258
96	PhD	biophysics	4	6	postdoctoral research associate		320
97	PhD	physics	10	8	postdoctoral research associate		300
98	PhD	chemistry	7	28	bioinorganic research chemist		237
99	PhD	plant pathology and microbiology	6	60	postdoctoral researcher		55
100	PhD	geology and geophysics	21	4	interpreter geophysicist specialist	YES	323
101	Master	electrical engineering	3	29	global auction manager		139
102	PhD	nanoscale physics	17	189	research scientist		60
103	PhD	biomedical engineering	6	80	postdoc research associate		343
104	Master	medical science	6	0	physician		326
105	Master	biomedical engineering	1	0	formulation scientist		335
106	PhD	molecular microbiology	7	36	introductor-research scientist		313
107	PhD	plant molecular biology	4	0	post doctoral fellow		276
108	PhD	mathematics, computer science	12	47	post doctoral researcher		49
109	PhD	teratology	12	28	medical practitioner		176
110	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A		233
111	PhD	forest economy	11	7	postdoctoral research fellow		115
112	PhD	biology	7	170	research associate		321
113	PhD	bioorganic chemistry	11	86	senior chemist		297
114	PhD	biomedical science	11	205	postdoctoral scientist		365
115	PhD	chemical engineering	2	39	researcher		291
116	PhD	biology education	20	82	post doctoral associate		283
117	PhD	applied physics	5	18	post doctoral research associate		324
118	Master	genetics	10	101	senior research associate		239
119	PhD	electrical and computer engineering	2	24	post doctoral research associate		153
120	PhD	microbiology	5	213	assistant project scientist		64
121	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A		130
122	PhD	mechanical engineering	2	23	engineer		286
123	PhD	immunology	7	151	postdoctoral fellow		309
124	PhD	electrical engineering	5	111	assistant researcher		102
125	PhD	chemical engineering	2	31	postdoc researcher		363
126	PhD	soil science	18	432	postdoctoral researcher		271
127	Master	electrical engineering	2	0	sourcing manager		118
128	Master	nutrition	4	40	research scientist		118
129	PhD	material science and engineering	6	69	engineer		288
130	PhD	chemical engineering	2	45	project engineer		301
131	PhD	statistics	11	0	senior statistician		284
132	PhD	biochemistry and molecular biology	6	83	postdoctoral researcher		310
133	Bachelor	virology	30	257	researcher analyst		114

Founded in 1996, Zhang & Associates, P.C. offers legal services to clients nationwide in all aspects of U.S immigration law. We have successfully handled thousands of immigration cases.

At Zhang & Associates, P.C., our attorneys and supporting professionals are committed to providing high-quality immigration and non-immigration visa services. We specialize in NIW, EB-1, PERM, and I-485 cases. In the past fifteen years, we have successfully helped thousands of clients get green cards. If you plan to apply for a green card, please send your CV to Attorney Jerry Zhang (info@hooyou.com) for a free evaluation.

Zhang & Associates, PC.

Silicon Valley • New York • Los Angeles • Chicago • Houston • Austin

Tel:	1-800-230-7040, 713-771-8433
Email:	info@hooyou.com
website:	http://www.hooyou.com

(10/16/2011)