(a) Federal agencies' responsibilities. The Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Homeland Security, and Department of State are involved in the H-1C visa process. Within DOL, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the Wage and Hour Division have responsibility for different aspects of the process.

(b) Facility's attestation responsibilities. Each facility seeking one or more H-1C nurse(s) must, as the first step, submit an attestation on Form ETA 9081, as described in §655.1110 of this part, to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Foreign Labor Certification, Chicago National Processing Center, 536 South Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60605-1509. If the attestation satisfies the criteria stated in §655.1130 and includes the supporting information required by §655.1110 and by §655.1114, ETA shall accept the attestation form for filing, and return the accepted attestation to the facility.

(c) H-1C petitions. Upon ETA's acceptance of the attestation, the facility may then file petitions with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for the admission of, change to, or extension of status of H-1C nurses. The facility must attach a copy of the accepted attestation (Form ETA 9081) to the petition or the request for adjustment or extension of status, filed with USCIS. At the same time that the facility files an H-1C petition with USCIS, it must also send a copy of the petition to the Employment and Training Administration, Administrator, Office of Foreign Labor Certification, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room C-4312, Washington, DC 20210. The facility must also send to this same ETA address a copy of the USCIS petition approval notice within 5 days after it is received from USCIS.

(d) Visa issuance. USCIS makes determinations, in adjudicating an H-1C petition, whether the foreign worker possesses the required qualifications and credentials to be employed as an H-1C nurse. The Department of State is subsequently responsible for determining visa eligibility.

(e) Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) review of Attestations accepted and not accepted for filing. Any interested party may seek review by the BALCA of an Attestation accepted or not accepted for filing by ETA. However, such appeals are limited to ETA actions on the three Attestation matters on which ETA conducts a substantive review (i.e., the employer's eligibility as a facility; the facility's attestation to alternative timely and significant steps; and the facility's assertion that taking a second timely and significant step would not be reasonable).

(f) Complaints. Complaints concerning misrepresentation of material fact(s) in the Attestation or failure of the facility to carry out the terms of the Attestation may be filed with the Wage and Hour Division of DOL, according to the procedures set forth in subpart M of this part. The Wage and Hour Administrator shall investigate and, where appropriate, after an opportunity for a hearing, assess remedies and penalties. Subpart M of this part also provides that interested parties may obtain an administrative law judge hearing and may seek review of the administrative law judge's decision at the Department's Administrative Review Board.

[75 FR 10403, Mar. 5, 2010]