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MATTER OF C

In VISA PETITION Proceedings

A-11622931

Decided by Board March 4, 1960

Fourth preference quota status-Adult married stepdaughter may qualify. Married stepdaughter, age 45, held eligible on petition of citizen stepfather for fourth preference quota status as "daughter" within meaning of section 203 (a) (4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, provided there existed an original relationship of stepparent and stepchild validly created according to the definition in section 101 (b)(1) (B) of the amended Act. (Matter of C- 5 I. & N. Dec. 512, modified.)

BEFORE THE BOARD

Discussion: The case comes to us on certification from the decision dated February 5, 1960, of the Regional Commissioner, Northeast Regional Office, approving the visa petition for preference quota status under section 203 (a) (4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act on behalf of the beneficiary.

The petitioner, a native of Italy, 67 years old, male, became a naturalized citizen of the United States on October 4, 1949. He seeks preference quota status on behalf of the beneficiary, a native and citizen of Italy, 45 years old, female, married. The beneficiary is the legitimate child of the first marriage of the petitioner's wife. The petitioner married the beneficiary's mother in Italy on April 6, 1922, when the beneficiary was less than eight years old.

The beneficiary is over 21 years of age and is the married stepdaughter of the petitioner. The only preference status under which she could be considered is section 203 (a) (4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act as amended by the Act of September 22, 1959 (73 Stat. 644), which grants fourth preference status to brothers, sisters, married sons or married daughters of citizens of the United States. The question, therefore, is whether the beneficiary, as a stepdaughter, comes within the term "daughter" as used in section 203 (a) (4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

In Matter of C—, 5 I. & N. Dec. 512 (1953), it was held that stepdaughters were not eligible for a preference as "daughters" within the meaning of section 203 (a) (4) of the Immigration and

Nationality Act. The facts set forth in the case do not reflect the age of the beneficiary when the second marriage, which made her the stepdaughter of the petitioner, occurred.

In Matter of G, A-7444373, Int. Dec. No. 1004 (May 28, 1959), we had under consideration the eligibility for the exercise of the discretion contained in section 7 of the Act of September 11, 1957 (Public Law 85-316), on behalf of an alien parent of an adult citizen of the United States. It was held that such a person satisfied the requirements of the definition of a parent in section 101 (b) (2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and was eligible for the benefits of section 7 of the Act of September 11, 1957, on the theory that once a parent qualified as such under section 101 (b) (2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, he remained a parent even after the child became married or over 21 years of age.

Section 203 (a) (4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act as amended by section 3 of the Act of September 22, 1959 (Public Law 86-363), grants preference quota status to qualified quota immigrants who are the married sons or married daughters of citizens of the United States. Section 5(b) of the amendatory Act of September 22, 1959, provides that no petition for quota immigrant status or preference status in behalf of a son or daughter under paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of section 203 (a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act shall be approved by the Attorney General unless the petitioner establishes that he is a "parent" as defined in section 101(b) (2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of the alien in respect to whom the petition is made.

Section 101 (b) (2) defines the term "parent" for immigration purposes as existing only where the relationship exists by reason. of any of the circumstances set forth in section 101 (b) (1) of the act. The pertinent subparagraph relating to a stepchild and stepparent for immigration purposes is set forth in subparagraph (B) of section 101 (b) (1), which sets forth the circumstances relating to a stepparent to mean a stepchild, whether or not born out of wedlock, provided the child has not reached the age of 18 years at the time the marriage creating the status of stepchild occurred. Once the relationship of stepparent and stepchild is shown to exist in accordance with the immigration definition set forth in sections 101 (b) (1) and 101 (b) (2), the person involved comes within the eligible class of a parent. The limitation on the term "child" requires that the person be unmarried and under 21 years of age, and the limitation on the term "stepchild" requires that the marriage creating the status of stepchild occur before the child becomes 18 years old. Thereafter, when the child becomes more than 21 years old or married, that person becomes a son or daughter, or, as in this case, a stepson or stepdaughter. However, the parent or the

stepparent always remains a parent or stepparent, once the original conditions of the definition have been met (Matter of G A-7444373, Int. Dec. No. 1004).

In the instant case, the beneficiary, whose father died in 1917 and whose mother married the petitioner when the beneficiary was but seven years of age, comes within the definition of stepchild. The petitioner qualifies as a stepfather by virtue of the fact that the relationship exists by reason of the circumstances relating to stepchild as set forth in section 101(b)(1)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Section 203 (a) (4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act as amended by the Act of September 22, 1959 (73 Stat. 644), grants fourth preference status to married sons or daughters of citizens of the United States. The relationship of stepfather and stepchild having originally been validly created according to the definition set forth in the immigration laws, now becomes a relationship of stepfather and stepdaughter since she is now over 21 and married. The visa petition is approved for fourth preference status on behalf of the beneficiary. It is not deemed necessary to consider variations of the situation presented in this case, since the answer to such hypothetical circumstances would necessarily follow from the decision herein and will be decided when a proper case arises.

Order: It is ordered that the order of the Regional Commissioner, Northeast Region, dated February 5, 1960, approving the petition to accord the beneficiary fourth preference status is hereby approved.

MATTER OF C

In VISA PETITION Proceedings

VP 3-I-120661

Decided by Regional Commissioner March 7, 1960

Approved by Assistant Commissioner

First preference quota status-Arc welder not eligible since skilled workers can be trained within reasonable period.

Urgent need for services of skilled workers outside the United States is not established if workers in this country can be readily trained for the particular job. Petition to accord first preference status to arc welder is denied upon evidence that the training period for journeyman arc welder is six months to one year.

APPLICATION: Preference quota classification under section 203 (a) (1) (A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act as an alien whose services are needed urgently in the United States.

BEFORE THE REGIONAL COMMISSIONER

Discussion: The district director denied this petition August 3, 1959, on the ground that the position for which the beneficiary's services are desired does not require the high degree of skill or ability contemplated by the statute. Timely appeal was filed, followed by a brief, and the case is now before me.

The petitioner is engaged in the manufacture of aluminum sashes and doors. The beneficiary, a 47-year-old native of Italy, is to be employed as an electric welder, to assemble and weld aluminum or other metal windows, sashes, and doors. The work order shows the proposed rate of pay as $2.50 an hour for a 40-hour week and lists the requirements as "at least 2 years experience as an electrical welder. No union requirements." The job summary in the work order reads as follows:

Will fuse aluminum and metal parts together by means of electrical welding, and perform all operations necessary to make completed aluminum or other metal windows, sashes, and doors from various parts and weld them into relative positions; must have knowledge of inserting electrodes into electro holders and connect wires from generator to electro holders, and lay out metal parts before welding.

This work order was endorsed April 17, 1959, by the Bureau of Employment Security to show that qualified workers are not avail

able within the United States for referral to the petitioner. Documents from Italy, where the beneficiary resides, indicate he is qualified by experience in excess of ten years, if not by technical training, as an electric welder.

The Dictionary of Occupational Titles, volume 1, p. 1483, prepared by the United States Department of Labor, states with respect to "WELDER, ELECTRIC," "see Welder, Arc." The duties of the position of "Arc Welder" are described therein as follows:

WELDER, ARC (any ind.) 4-85.020. welder, electric; welder, electric arc. Fuses (welds) metal parts together by means of electric welding apparatus to fabricate metal objects or to repair broken or cracked objects, or employs electric welding apparatus to increase the size of metal parts: Starts motor generator, or starts gasoline motor that drives generator. Places metal objects in position on work table, floor, structure, or where welding is to be performed. Wires, clamps, or otherwise holds metal parts in relative position. Connects wire from one pole of generator to electrode holder held in hand and connects wire from another pole of generator to work. Inserts electrode (round metal rod) in electrode holder. Touches electrode to work to complete electric circuit and instantly withdraws it a very short distance, forming electric arc (the heat of the arc melts the metal directly under the electrode). Guides electrode along line of weld, allowing sufficient time for the heat of arc to melt the metal (the excess metal needed to fuse or build up the parts is melted from the electrode, and the amount of metal deposited depends on the length of time the electrode is held at any one spot). Breaks electric circuit by withdrawing electrode. May lay out (mark) metal parts before welding. May turn rheostat to regulate flow of electricity from generator. May use a carbon or graphite electrode in holder and apply needed metal from a welding rod held in other hand. May employ acetylene welding apparatus [WELDER, ACETYLENE] in which case worker would be classified as WELDER, COMBINATION.

This occupation is classified as skilled. However, the United States Employment Service "Workers Traits Handbook" shows the training period for journeyman arc welder to be from six months to one year.

Section 203 (a) (1) (A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides for first preference quota status for immigrants "whose services are determined by the Attorney General to be needed urgently in the Unitd States because of the high education, tchnical training, specialized experience, or exceptional ability of such immigrants and to be substantially beneficial prospectively to the national economy, cultural interests, or welfare of the United States." This statute does not contemplate first preference quota classification for aliens to come to the United States to accept employment for which workers already here may be readily trained (Matter of P-BSC- 7 I. & N. Dec. 637, decided by the Regional Commissioner January 13, 1958, and approved by the Assistant Commissioner). Even though it should be conceded that the petitioner is unable to obtain in the United States a fully qualified arc

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