News: USCIS announced that the H-1B cap for this year is full. What does this mean for you regarding job opportunities after MS in the US? The economy is showing signs of healthy job growth for non-US citizens in the US! Its getting better.
On the first business day in April, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services opens the rounds of petitioning for coveted H1-B visas for highly skilled foreign workers. The agency awards the 85,000 visas on a first-come, first-served basis and companies scramble to get in their applications for foreign hires as quickly as they can. The cap has been the same since 2004, with 65,000 slots for foreign hires and 20,000 spaces reserved for graduates of U.S. universities. This year human resources managers, knowing the cap was close to being filled, worked through the weekend, racing to file.
The speed at which the cap is reached is a loose indicator of the economy’s state. In 2007, the slots filled up on May 26 (July 26 for university grads). In 2008, the cap was reached in a single day: April 2. In 2009, applications were sluggish and took eight months to reach the cap. In 2011, the slots were filled in seven months.
It now appears that things are picking up again—a good sign for the economy!
Current Students:
Ok, what does this mean? People who graduate in December should be OK, as they can move on an F1 and apply for an H1 on April 1, 2013. People graduating in June/July 2012 should be OK too, as they can move on F1 and file next year on April 1, 2013. So for now most people would be safe. So everything looks good for now!
PS. If the situation gets too hot, we may end up in lottery like scenario, but even then its better than 2007-2008 as we now have a cap gap and a 27-month OPT extension on F1 for STEM.
Additional score reports can be ordered online through the TOEFL online registration system or by completing the Score Report Request Form in the Bulletin. This form is also available on the TOEFL Web site. You will receive an acknowledgement confirming that your score reports were mailed. The Score Report Request Form will be returned to you if you do not include complete and accurate information and the correct fee. Designated institutions cannot be changed or deleted after you submit the request. No refunds will be made.
ONLINE (CREDIT CARD)
- Log in to your TOEFL iBT account and click “Register for a Test/Order Score Reports” on your home page. Pay by credit/debit card or e-check
- The fee is US$17 for each report ordered.
MAIL OR FAX
- Follow the instructions on the back of the Score Report Request
- Form for completing and mailing your request and payment.
- Reports are mailed two weeks after receipt of your request form.
- The fee is US$17 for each report ordered.
- Demand Draft in U.S. dollars made payable to “ETS-TOEFL iBT”. Please write your registration number on your check or money order.
- If you are paying by credit/debit card, you may fax your form to: 1-610-290-8972.
Faxed requests will not be processed unless complete credit card information is provided. If you think your faxed request may not have gone through and you attempt to resend the information, write “DUPLICATE” in large letters on all repeat requests. This will help avoid extra processing by TOEFL Services and unnecessary charges to your credit card.
If you wish to mail your request and payment, send it to:
ETS-TOEFL iBT
PO Box 6153
Princeton, NJ 08541-6153 USA
If you wish to send your request via a courier service, address it to:
TOEFL Document Processing
225 Phillips Boulevard
Ewing, NJ 08628-7435 USA
You might also like to see information about Registering for the TOEFL iBT
REGISTRATION
There are three ways in which you can register for the TOEFL exam.
1. Online Registration with a Credit Card
Test takers with credit/debit cards can register for the test online in the Learners and Test Takers section of the TOEFL Web site at www.toefl.org. The following cards are accepted:
- American Express
- Discover
- JCB
- MasterCard
- VISA
Registration is open 24 hours a day.
2. Telephone Registration Using a Credit Card
Call Prometric, Gurgaon at:
91-124-4147700
Note: to schedule by phone, you need a valid credit card (American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, or VISA).
3. Mail-in Scheme
You can register by mail by completing the registration form:
- Fill in all the information on the Registration Form. Be sure to indicate two test center choices
- Include a demand draft, or credit card information
- Demand Drafts in U.S. dollars must be drawn on a bank in the US and made payable to “ETS-TOEFL iBT”
- Mail the completed form to the address on the form or to:
Prometric Testing Private Limited,
2nd Floor, DFL Infinity Tower–A,
Sector 25, Phase II,
DFL City Gurgaon,
Haryana 122002,
India
- The registration form must be received at least four weeks before your earliest test date choice.
- If you do not receive a confirmation, call the location where you mailed your paperwork – at least three business days before your registration deadline.
- If you register by mail you will need to enter certain codes manually that are input automatically online. See Code Lists for Registering by Mail online.
RESCHEDULING OR CANCELING
If you need to reschedule or cancel your registration, you have to do so three full days before your test date (not including the day of the test or the day of your request) or your full test fee will be forfeited.
Online:
Log in to your TOEFL iBT Profile, click “View Order(s)” on your home page, then click “Modify” or “Cancel” on the Order Summary page.
Note: You cannot reschedule or cancel your registration via mail or e-mail.
Phone:
You can call Prometric, Gurgaon to cancel or reschedule
Phone: 91-124-4147700.
To reschedule, you must provide:
- Your registration number
- The full name you used to register
- The fee for rescheduling is US$60. Payment must be received prior to rescheduling.
Refunds are given in U.S. dollars and include taxes as applicable. Cash refunds are not available.
- If you paid by credit/debit card or e-check, the refund will be credited to the original credit/debit card or bank account used to pay.
- If you paid by demand draft drawn on a U.S. domestic bank, allow twelve weeks for processing
GENERAL INQUIRIES
Phone:
Numbers: 1-609-771-7100 or 1-877-863-3546
Days: Monday–Friday
Timings:
8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. (EST)
5:30 pm – 5:30 am IST
Mail:
TOEFL Services (25Q-310),
Distribution and Receiving Center,
225 Phillips Boulevard,
Ewing, NJ 08628-7435, USA
Fax:
1-610-290-8972
E-mail:
toefl@ets.org
See also: Registering, Rescheduling and Canceling for the GRE Test
The ETS sends your score to four universities free. But, if you want to sent Additional GRE Score Reports (ASRs) to more universities, you have to order them by mail or by phone. Here’s how.
BY MAIL OR FAX
- Download and complete the Additional Score Report Form or use the form found in the center of the Bulletin.
- Mail it with the fee to the address on the form.
- The fee is U.S. $23 per score recipient.
- Requests are processed within 10 working days after receipt.
- Faxed requests are accepted if you pay by credit card (American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, or VISA). The fax number is 1-610-290-8975.
- Once a request and fee is mailed or faxed, it cannot be canceled, changed, or refunded.
- If paying by demand draft, make your draft payable to “ETS-GRE”
Mail to:
ETS-ASR/GRE
Box 371463
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7463
USA
BY PHONE
- Before you call, have the following information ready:
- registration number, Social Security number or confirmation number
- test date
- date of birth
- institution code(s) and department code(s)
Call:
- 1-609-771-7290
- Timings: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST, 7 days a week (3:30 pm – 7:30 am IST)
- Wait for confirmation before hanging up to be sure your request is completed. Once information is entered, changes cannot be made.
- Score reports will be mailed to you and to your designated institutions approximately five working days after your call. You must wait until your scores are initially reported before you can use this service.
- This phone service allows you to request up to eight score recipients. To request more than eight, please call again.
- Requests for “Test Taker Copies Only” or changes in your mailing address cannot be processed through this service.
Also see: Registering for the GRE Test, Rescheduling and Cancelling Your Test
REGISTERING FOR THE GRE TEST
There are four ways you can register for the computer-based General Test.
1. Online Registration
The easiest and fastest way to register is online. Test takers with credit cards can register online at:
- American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, and VISA are accepted.
- Registration is open 24 hours a day.
2. Phone
- Prometric, Gurgaon Registration Phone: 91-124-4147700
- Use American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, VISA.
- Call the appropriate Regional Registration Center (RRC) at least two business days before your preferred test date.
- A confirmation number, reporting time, and the test center address will be given to you when you call.
3. FAX
- Use American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, VISA, or a voucher number.
- Fax the International Test Scheduling Form to Prometric, Gurgaon
- Fax: 91-124-4147773
- The form must be received at least seven days before your first-choice test date.
- A confirmation number, reporting time, and the test center address will be faxed or mailed to you.
- If you do not receive a confirmation of your appointment, call the appropriate RRC at least three business days before your first-choice test date. If you missed your appointment and did not call the RRC, your test fee will not be refunded. If you provide an e-mail address, you may receive a confirmation by e-mail.
4. Mail
Mail the International Test Scheduling Form to:
Prometric Testing Private Limited
2nd floor
DFL Infinity Tower–A
Sector 25, Phase II
DFL City Gurgaon
Haryana 122002
India
- A confirmation number, reporting time, and the test center address will be faxed or mailed to you.
- If you do not receive a confirmation, call Prometric at least three business days before your first-choice test date.
- If you miss your appointment and did not call Prometric, your test fee will not be refunded.
- If you provide an e-mail address, you may receive a confirmation by e-mail.
- You can also make the payment by draft. Make the draft payable to “ETS – GRE”.
RESCHEDULING OR CANCELING A TEST APPOINTMENT
- You must reschedule or cancel your test no later than three full days before your appointment (not including the day of your test or the day of your request) or your test fee will be forfeited.
- To reschedule or cancel your appointment call: 1-443-751-4820, or Prometric, Gurgaon 91-124-4147700
- The fee for rescheduling the date, time, or location of your appointment is $50.
- If you cancel your General Test no later than three full days prior to your test date, you will receive a refund equivalent to half of the original test fee.
- You will need your Confirmation/Tracking Number to cancel or reschedule the test.
IMPORTANT CONTACT DETAILS
1. GRE Test Scheduling (Prometric Centre in India)
Prometric Testing Private Limited
2nd floor
DFL Infinity Tower–A
Sector 25, Phase II
DFL City Gurgaon
Haryana 122002
India
2. Phone Registration: 91-124-4147700
3. Fax: 91-124-4147773
4. GRE General Inquiries (Do Not Use for Test Scheduling)
(a) Phone:
- 1-609-771-7670
- Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–7:45 p.m. EST (except for U.S. holidays)
- (5:30 pm – 5:15 am IST)
(b) Mail:
GRE—ETS
PO Box 6000
Princeton, NJ 08541-6000
Note: DO NOT mail registration forms to this address.
(c) Courier:
GRE
Distribution and Receiving Center
225 Phillips Boulevard
Ewing, NJ 08628-7435
(d) E-mail: gre-info@ets.org
Also see: Getting Additional GRE Score Reports