sonia_sd
09-14 02:34 PM
The company is very healthy financially and has around 100 employees on payroll. They have successfully processed many GCs for the existing employees in the last 3 years. The irony is one of my friends that filed with me on the same advertisement and profile got his GC 18 months ago!!
jlt007us,
Sorry for your situation & I would suggest you better contact an experienced lawyer...who can advice you closely and assist you in this situation.
Soni-
jlt007us,
Sorry for your situation & I would suggest you better contact an experienced lawyer...who can advice you closely and assist you in this situation.
Soni-
wallpaper tree tattoo design
redcard
11-07 12:27 PM
Hi,
My parents got 10 year multiple entry US visa 2 years back. My brother who was residing here had sent the required documents and applied the visitor visa. My parents had visited me then for 3 months. Now I am planning to get my parents to US. But my brother no longer lives in USA. Is my parent�s visitor visa still valid since my brother is not residing here or should I re apply for my parents visitors visa. Any help or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Yes,, its valid for ten years..irrespective of the fact that your brother is in US or Not...
My parents got 10 year multiple entry US visa 2 years back. My brother who was residing here had sent the required documents and applied the visitor visa. My parents had visited me then for 3 months. Now I am planning to get my parents to US. But my brother no longer lives in USA. Is my parent�s visitor visa still valid since my brother is not residing here or should I re apply for my parents visitors visa. Any help or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Yes,, its valid for ten years..irrespective of the fact that your brother is in US or Not...
bigboy007
07-10 07:13 AM
The only advantage now is if lawsuit wins then people who has submitted will be better position but i dont recommend submitting now as the current situations will help if at all it is , for who applied before July 2.
2011 even song lyrics and words
madanreddy
03-14 02:11 PM
Thank you Meridiani.Planum and jnraajan for your quick reply. will look for a job and use EAD.
more...
snathan
02-09 09:33 PM
"US Masters degree has no value anymore. Don't pursue a masters degree from US . You won't be able to find a job due to protectionist agends of US law makers.. Take your money somewhere less.Foreigners won't get jobs in USA "
Let us make atleast Indians run from Higer education industry of America and colleges will feel the heat as 50% of them have revenue stream out of foreign students. This will make these clown senators o understand the repercussions of protectionism.
If we can print an article in any leading daily in India, I am sure lots of other papers will pick up the same story.
Let us make atleast Indians run from Higer education industry of America and colleges will feel the heat as 50% of them have revenue stream out of foreign students. This will make these clown senators o understand the repercussions of protectionism.
If we can print an article in any leading daily in India, I am sure lots of other papers will pick up the same story.
dpp
06-20 05:42 PM
I am confused. I have I 140 approval copy but it does not have A# in it. I know lots of people who have approved I 140 and they have A# in it. Please let me know what should I do in this case?
Just leave it blank. But my approval has it and so i am using it.
Just leave it blank. But my approval has it and so i am using it.
more...
lvinaykumar
08-05 05:05 PM
i would say apply for the Eb2. I am on Eb3 right now and i will plan to apply for eb2 after Dec 2008.
2010 swift lyrics quotes.
lonedesi
01-15 04:08 PM
I am in the same boat. They are taking way too long to process H1-B extensions.
Its the same with I-140 too. My application has been pending at VSC for 7 months now and no signs of it being transferred to TSC or NSC for processing or if it will be processed at VSC itself. There is no sign of PP starting anytime soon either. It is such a painful situation to be in. Would it be of any help, if we can contact the USCIS Ombudsman???
Its the same with I-140 too. My application has been pending at VSC for 7 months now and no signs of it being transferred to TSC or NSC for processing or if it will be processed at VSC itself. There is no sign of PP starting anytime soon either. It is such a painful situation to be in. Would it be of any help, if we can contact the USCIS Ombudsman???
more...
dbevis
January 31st, 2005, 07:29 AM
Solitary 2 would have been a very strong shot if you'd been able to do two things:
Include the hole and fishing line going down into it.
Captured more of that facial expression.
Three things would have been conveyed: He's alone, he's fishing, and he's focused on his task.
Include the hole and fishing line going down into it.
Captured more of that facial expression.
Three things would have been conveyed: He's alone, he's fishing, and he's focused on his task.
hair Globe Tattoo#39;s “Songs for
flex
10-02 06:23 PM
Aha - do you have a firewall with browser privacy, like Zone Alarm or Norton?
more...
learning01
02-25 05:03 PM
This is the most compelling piece I read about why this country should do more for scientists and engineers who are on temporary work visas. Read it till the end and enjoy.
learning01
From Yale Global Online:
Amid the Bush Administration's efforts to create a guest-worker program for undocumented immigrants, Nobel laureate economist Gary Becker argues that the US must do more to welcome skilled legal immigrants too. The US currently offers only 140,000 green cards each year, preventing many valuable scientists and engineers from gaining permanent residency. Instead, they are made to stay in the US on temporary visas�which discourage them from assimilating into American society, and of which there are not nearly enough. It is far better, argues Becker, to fold the visa program into a much larger green card quota for skilled immigrants. While such a program would force more competition on American scientists and engineers, it would allow the economy as a whole to take advantage of the valuable skills of new workers who would have a lasting stake in America's success. Skilled immigrants will find work elsewhere if we do not let them work here�but they want, first and foremost, to work in the US. Becker argues that the US should let them do so. � YaleGlobal
Give Us Your Skilled Masses
Gary S. Becker
The Wall Street Journal, 1 December 2005
With border security and proposals for a guest-worker program back on the front page, it is vital that the U.S. -- in its effort to cope with undocumented workers -- does not overlook legal immigration. The number of people allowed in is far too small, posing a significant problem for the economy in the years ahead. Only 140,000 green cards are issued annually, with the result that scientists, engineers and other highly skilled workers often must wait years before receiving the ticket allowing them to stay permanently in the U.S.
An alternate route for highly skilled professionals -- especially information technology workers -- has been temporary H-1B visas, good for specific jobs for three years with the possibility of one renewal. But Congress foolishly cut the annual quota of H-1B visas in 2003 from almost 200,000 to well under 100,000. The small quota of 65,000 for the current fiscal year that began on Oct. 1 is already exhausted!
This is mistaken policy. The right approach would be to greatly increase the number of entry permits to highly skilled professionals and eliminate the H-1B program, so that all such visas became permanent. Skilled immigrants such as engineers and scientists are in fields not attracting many Americans, and they work in IT industries, such as computers and biotech, which have become the backbone of the economy. Many of the entrepreneurs and higher-level employees in Silicon Valley were born overseas. These immigrants create jobs and opportunities for native-born Americans of all types and levels of skills.
So it seems like a win-win situation. Permanent rather than temporary admissions of the H-1B type have many advantages. Foreign professionals would make a greater commitment to becoming part of American culture and to eventually becoming citizens, rather than forming separate enclaves in the expectation they are here only temporarily. They would also be more concerned with advancing in the American economy and less likely to abscond with the intellectual property of American companies -- property that could help them advance in their countries of origin.
Basically, I am proposing that H-1B visas be folded into a much larger, employment-based green card program with the emphasis on skilled workers. The annual quota should be multiplied many times beyond present limits, and there should be no upper bound on the numbers from any single country. Such upper bounds place large countries like India and China, with many highly qualified professionals, at a considerable and unfair disadvantage -- at no gain to the U.S.
To be sure, the annual admission of a million or more highly skilled workers such as engineers and scientists would lower the earnings of the American workers they compete against. The opposition from competing American workers is probably the main reason for the sharp restrictions on the number of immigrant workers admitted today. That opposition is understandable, but does not make it good for the country as a whole.
Doesn't the U.S. clearly benefit if, for example, India's government spends a lot on the highly esteemed Indian Institutes of Technology to train scientists and engineers who leave to work in America? It certainly appears that way to the sending countries, many of which protest against this emigration by calling it a "brain drain."
Yet the migration of workers, like free trade in goods, is not a zero sum game, but one that usually benefits the sending and the receiving country. Even if many immigrants do not return home to the nations that trained them, they send back remittances that are often sizeable; and some do return to start businesses.
Experience shows that countries providing a good economic and political environment can attract back many of the skilled men and women who have previously left. Whether they return or not, they gain knowledge about modern technologies that becomes more easily incorporated into the production of their native countries.
Experience also shows that if America does not accept greatly increased numbers of highly skilled professionals, they might go elsewhere: Canada and Australia, to take two examples, are actively recruiting IT professionals.
Since earnings are much higher in the U.S., many skilled immigrants would prefer to come here. But if they cannot, they may compete against us through outsourcing and similar forms of international trade in services. The U.S. would be much better off by having such skilled workers become residents and citizens -- thus contributing to our productivity, culture, tax revenues and education rather than to the productivity and tax revenues of other countries.
I do, however, advocate that we be careful about admitting students and skilled workers from countries that have produced many terrorists, such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. My attitude may be dismissed as religious "profiling," but intelligent and fact-based profiling is essential in the war against terror. And terrorists come from a relatively small number of countries and backgrounds, unfortunately mainly of the Islamic faith. But the legitimate concern about admitting terrorists should not be allowed, as it is now doing, to deny or discourage the admission of skilled immigrants who pose little terrorist threat.
Nothing in my discussion should be interpreted as arguing against the admission of unskilled immigrants. Many of these individuals also turn out to be ambitious and hard-working and make fine contributions to American life. But if the number to be admitted is subject to political and other limits, there is a strong case for giving preference to skilled immigrants for the reasons I have indicated.
Other countries, too, should liberalize their policies toward the immigration of skilled workers. I particularly think of Japan and Germany, both countries that have rapidly aging, and soon to be declining, populations that are not sympathetic (especially Japan) to absorbing many immigrants. These are decisions they have to make. But America still has a major advantage in attracting skilled workers, because this is the preferred destination of the vast majority of them. So why not take advantage of their preference to come here, rather than force them to look elsewhere?
URL:
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=6583
Mr. Becker, the 1992 Nobel laureate in economics, is University Professor of Economics and Sociology at the University of Chicago and the Rose-Marie and Jack R. Anderson Senior Fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution.
Rights:
Copyright � 2005 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Related Articles:
America Should Open Its Doors Wide to Foreign Talent
Some Lost Jobs Never Leave Home
Bush's Proposal for Immigration Reform Misses the Point
Workers Falling Behind in Mexico
learning01
From Yale Global Online:
Amid the Bush Administration's efforts to create a guest-worker program for undocumented immigrants, Nobel laureate economist Gary Becker argues that the US must do more to welcome skilled legal immigrants too. The US currently offers only 140,000 green cards each year, preventing many valuable scientists and engineers from gaining permanent residency. Instead, they are made to stay in the US on temporary visas�which discourage them from assimilating into American society, and of which there are not nearly enough. It is far better, argues Becker, to fold the visa program into a much larger green card quota for skilled immigrants. While such a program would force more competition on American scientists and engineers, it would allow the economy as a whole to take advantage of the valuable skills of new workers who would have a lasting stake in America's success. Skilled immigrants will find work elsewhere if we do not let them work here�but they want, first and foremost, to work in the US. Becker argues that the US should let them do so. � YaleGlobal
Give Us Your Skilled Masses
Gary S. Becker
The Wall Street Journal, 1 December 2005
With border security and proposals for a guest-worker program back on the front page, it is vital that the U.S. -- in its effort to cope with undocumented workers -- does not overlook legal immigration. The number of people allowed in is far too small, posing a significant problem for the economy in the years ahead. Only 140,000 green cards are issued annually, with the result that scientists, engineers and other highly skilled workers often must wait years before receiving the ticket allowing them to stay permanently in the U.S.
An alternate route for highly skilled professionals -- especially information technology workers -- has been temporary H-1B visas, good for specific jobs for three years with the possibility of one renewal. But Congress foolishly cut the annual quota of H-1B visas in 2003 from almost 200,000 to well under 100,000. The small quota of 65,000 for the current fiscal year that began on Oct. 1 is already exhausted!
This is mistaken policy. The right approach would be to greatly increase the number of entry permits to highly skilled professionals and eliminate the H-1B program, so that all such visas became permanent. Skilled immigrants such as engineers and scientists are in fields not attracting many Americans, and they work in IT industries, such as computers and biotech, which have become the backbone of the economy. Many of the entrepreneurs and higher-level employees in Silicon Valley were born overseas. These immigrants create jobs and opportunities for native-born Americans of all types and levels of skills.
So it seems like a win-win situation. Permanent rather than temporary admissions of the H-1B type have many advantages. Foreign professionals would make a greater commitment to becoming part of American culture and to eventually becoming citizens, rather than forming separate enclaves in the expectation they are here only temporarily. They would also be more concerned with advancing in the American economy and less likely to abscond with the intellectual property of American companies -- property that could help them advance in their countries of origin.
Basically, I am proposing that H-1B visas be folded into a much larger, employment-based green card program with the emphasis on skilled workers. The annual quota should be multiplied many times beyond present limits, and there should be no upper bound on the numbers from any single country. Such upper bounds place large countries like India and China, with many highly qualified professionals, at a considerable and unfair disadvantage -- at no gain to the U.S.
To be sure, the annual admission of a million or more highly skilled workers such as engineers and scientists would lower the earnings of the American workers they compete against. The opposition from competing American workers is probably the main reason for the sharp restrictions on the number of immigrant workers admitted today. That opposition is understandable, but does not make it good for the country as a whole.
Doesn't the U.S. clearly benefit if, for example, India's government spends a lot on the highly esteemed Indian Institutes of Technology to train scientists and engineers who leave to work in America? It certainly appears that way to the sending countries, many of which protest against this emigration by calling it a "brain drain."
Yet the migration of workers, like free trade in goods, is not a zero sum game, but one that usually benefits the sending and the receiving country. Even if many immigrants do not return home to the nations that trained them, they send back remittances that are often sizeable; and some do return to start businesses.
Experience shows that countries providing a good economic and political environment can attract back many of the skilled men and women who have previously left. Whether they return or not, they gain knowledge about modern technologies that becomes more easily incorporated into the production of their native countries.
Experience also shows that if America does not accept greatly increased numbers of highly skilled professionals, they might go elsewhere: Canada and Australia, to take two examples, are actively recruiting IT professionals.
Since earnings are much higher in the U.S., many skilled immigrants would prefer to come here. But if they cannot, they may compete against us through outsourcing and similar forms of international trade in services. The U.S. would be much better off by having such skilled workers become residents and citizens -- thus contributing to our productivity, culture, tax revenues and education rather than to the productivity and tax revenues of other countries.
I do, however, advocate that we be careful about admitting students and skilled workers from countries that have produced many terrorists, such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. My attitude may be dismissed as religious "profiling," but intelligent and fact-based profiling is essential in the war against terror. And terrorists come from a relatively small number of countries and backgrounds, unfortunately mainly of the Islamic faith. But the legitimate concern about admitting terrorists should not be allowed, as it is now doing, to deny or discourage the admission of skilled immigrants who pose little terrorist threat.
Nothing in my discussion should be interpreted as arguing against the admission of unskilled immigrants. Many of these individuals also turn out to be ambitious and hard-working and make fine contributions to American life. But if the number to be admitted is subject to political and other limits, there is a strong case for giving preference to skilled immigrants for the reasons I have indicated.
Other countries, too, should liberalize their policies toward the immigration of skilled workers. I particularly think of Japan and Germany, both countries that have rapidly aging, and soon to be declining, populations that are not sympathetic (especially Japan) to absorbing many immigrants. These are decisions they have to make. But America still has a major advantage in attracting skilled workers, because this is the preferred destination of the vast majority of them. So why not take advantage of their preference to come here, rather than force them to look elsewhere?
URL:
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=6583
Mr. Becker, the 1992 Nobel laureate in economics, is University Professor of Economics and Sociology at the University of Chicago and the Rose-Marie and Jack R. Anderson Senior Fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution.
Rights:
Copyright � 2005 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Related Articles:
America Should Open Its Doors Wide to Foreign Talent
Some Lost Jobs Never Leave Home
Bush's Proposal for Immigration Reform Misses the Point
Workers Falling Behind in Mexico
hot Bloomquot; -- a song lyric by
googlegc
04-07 09:58 AM
1. YES
2. NO
3. YES
4. NO
I am planning to change jobs using the EAD / AC-21 in the next couple of months. To start off the process I wanted to get all the approval notices from the lawyer so that I have all the documents in place before I change jobs.
My employer uses a popular law firm to handle the immigration filing etc. I sent an email to the lawyer asking them to send me a copy of the I-140 approval notice.The lawyer responded that according to my company's internal policy they will not provide me a copy of the I-140 approval notice.
I would like to know the following -
1) Has someone else also faced a similar issue ?
2) If so , is there a way to get them to send me a copy of th 140 approval notice
3) Does the employer by law have the authority to restrict the distribution of the 140 approval notice
4) Do I need the 140 approval notice in order to use EAD/AC-21 to change jobs ?
Thanks
2. NO
3. YES
4. NO
I am planning to change jobs using the EAD / AC-21 in the next couple of months. To start off the process I wanted to get all the approval notices from the lawyer so that I have all the documents in place before I change jobs.
My employer uses a popular law firm to handle the immigration filing etc. I sent an email to the lawyer asking them to send me a copy of the I-140 approval notice.The lawyer responded that according to my company's internal policy they will not provide me a copy of the I-140 approval notice.
I would like to know the following -
1) Has someone else also faced a similar issue ?
2) If so , is there a way to get them to send me a copy of th 140 approval notice
3) Does the employer by law have the authority to restrict the distribution of the 140 approval notice
4) Do I need the 140 approval notice in order to use EAD/AC-21 to change jobs ?
Thanks
more...
house Top 10 Worst Music-Related
delhirocks
07-14 10:14 AM
Surprised to see Korea in the top three...wonder what kind of employment professionals are coming from Korea.
What's that supposed to mean? Probably exactly the same kind of employment professionals that come from other countries! It's only the 12th largest economy in the world
To elaborate on that, S.Korea happens to be on the forefront of technological innovations. Highest per capita broadband use, highest per capita cellphone use...land of samsung and Hyundai
not to mention great food...korean bbq anyone
What's that supposed to mean? Probably exactly the same kind of employment professionals that come from other countries! It's only the 12th largest economy in the world
To elaborate on that, S.Korea happens to be on the forefront of technological innovations. Highest per capita broadband use, highest per capita cellphone use...land of samsung and Hyundai
not to mention great food...korean bbq anyone
tattoo Jordin Sparks Tattoo Lyrics
freeskier89
02-08 06:22 PM
Voters: 89
freeskier89
Suspicious. :P
Anyways, yay. haha!! This poll was rigged from the start! :P Just kidding of course. Congrats everyone
freeskier89
Suspicious. :P
Anyways, yay. haha!! This poll was rigged from the start! :P Just kidding of course. Congrats everyone
more...
pictures Justin Timberlake Tattoos
drirshad
07-09 09:42 PM
White flowers to recovering soldiers, don't make sense to me ..
dresses song lyric tattoos expression
SNLive999
06-09 05:43 PM
Hello Gurus,
Soon after we filed our I-485 in July 07 we went to India as my mother was not feeling well. When my wife and I were in India we got Finger print appointment notices, which we postponed around 8 times. In May 08 we came to US specially to give our finger prints and we did. Few weeks after we gave our Finger prints, My wife went to India to take care of my mom.
Yesterday, we AGAIN got Finger print appointment notices. It does not say if USCIS was unable to read our finger prints or anything, It is a regular FP notices.
Since I am here in the US, I do not mind giving FP's again, but my wife is in India and she cannot give FP now. Another thing is we applied for H1 extension, She cannot come until I get my H1 and she get's it stamped. We do not have AP to travel.
The day we gave our FP's, USCIS has put stamps on our FP appointment notices with the details. I have these notices with me. Are these of any help ???
Biometrics Processing Stamp
ASC Site Code:______
Biometrics QA Review By:_____ On ________
Ten Prints QA Review by:_____ on ________
I really do not know what to do. I request you all Gurus, please help me to handle this issue.
Thank you.
Soon after we filed our I-485 in July 07 we went to India as my mother was not feeling well. When my wife and I were in India we got Finger print appointment notices, which we postponed around 8 times. In May 08 we came to US specially to give our finger prints and we did. Few weeks after we gave our Finger prints, My wife went to India to take care of my mom.
Yesterday, we AGAIN got Finger print appointment notices. It does not say if USCIS was unable to read our finger prints or anything, It is a regular FP notices.
Since I am here in the US, I do not mind giving FP's again, but my wife is in India and she cannot give FP now. Another thing is we applied for H1 extension, She cannot come until I get my H1 and she get's it stamped. We do not have AP to travel.
The day we gave our FP's, USCIS has put stamps on our FP appointment notices with the details. I have these notices with me. Are these of any help ???
Biometrics Processing Stamp
ASC Site Code:______
Biometrics QA Review By:_____ On ________
Ten Prints QA Review by:_____ on ________
I really do not know what to do. I request you all Gurus, please help me to handle this issue.
Thank you.
more...
makeup of my favorite song lyrics
wandmaker
10-24 01:00 AM
One correction in wandmaker above response, if it helps
B.Sc (3 years) + MCA (3years) = US Masters or Even M.E
I meant to type M.Sc instead of MCA - Thanks for the correction.
B.Sc (3 years) + MCA (3years) = US Masters or Even M.E
I meant to type M.Sc instead of MCA - Thanks for the correction.
girlfriend best girl tattoos
kondur_007
02-23 08:37 PM
I have applied for renewal of H1b and H4 by premium processing on 10-Jan-2010 based on pending green card. I got an RFE for my H1b for which my employer replied on 10-Feb-2010. My H1b got approved where as my wifes H4 got rejected on 22-Feb-2010. Still waiting for denial letter from USCIS. My wifes I-94 got expired on 11-Feb-2010. So is she out of status since 11-Feb-2010. What are my options. Is it better to re-open (MTR) case or go to india and re apply for H4. how is this out of status going to affect her chances of getting renewd in India or her green card application. Any other ideas. Please help.
First a correction: your wife is not "out of status from Feb 11", but actually she is supposed to leave once the denial came on Feb 22. (she was fine between feb 11 and feb 22 as her extension was pending).
She starts to accure illegal presence starting from Feb 22.
Best option for her would be to go back, get a new H4 stap based on your approved H1 and come back; I can not see any problem with that (as far as I can see). Now risk with this entirely depends on the grounds of the denial of her H4 (but if it was denied for some minor reason or by mistake, I dont see any problem at all). This is the best way to solve this and also to make sure GC process is not affected.
Good Luck.
ps: I am not a lawyer. Follow your lawyer's advise.
First a correction: your wife is not "out of status from Feb 11", but actually she is supposed to leave once the denial came on Feb 22. (she was fine between feb 11 and feb 22 as her extension was pending).
She starts to accure illegal presence starting from Feb 22.
Best option for her would be to go back, get a new H4 stap based on your approved H1 and come back; I can not see any problem with that (as far as I can see). Now risk with this entirely depends on the grounds of the denial of her H4 (but if it was denied for some minor reason or by mistake, I dont see any problem at all). This is the best way to solve this and also to make sure GC process is not affected.
Good Luck.
ps: I am not a lawyer. Follow your lawyer's advise.
hairstyles Leather Zoo - Tattoos A
vishwak
08-20 02:23 PM
goel I know that, I have already done that twice in previous stampings at Canada. Each time I went a day before to the Scotia branch prior to my appointment. What concerns me is this statement.
If you have already scheduled to attend an appointment through NVARS, please pay your MRV fee prior to September 1, 2010
See my point?
Btw this just came out I think yesterday.
YOU NEED TO PAY FEE BEFORE SEP 1ST. SO GO TO SOCTIA BANK BEFORE 32-AUG AND PYA FEE. Take the Receipt with you when you attend interview.
Thats the mean I get.
If you have already scheduled to attend an appointment through NVARS, please pay your MRV fee prior to September 1, 2010
See my point?
Btw this just came out I think yesterday.
YOU NEED TO PAY FEE BEFORE SEP 1ST. SO GO TO SOCTIA BANK BEFORE 32-AUG AND PYA FEE. Take the Receipt with you when you attend interview.
Thats the mean I get.
franklin
09-05 05:04 PM
Retrogression affects ALL countries. ROW EB3 has been retrogressed for some time.
Please be careful to not spread misconceptions about who is, or is not, affected.
Please be careful to not spread misconceptions about who is, or is not, affected.
thatwillbeit
05-24 08:37 PM
Does EAD & AP have to be sent to the same address if we do efiling
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
0 comments:
Post a Comment