Green Card — PERM Project Tracker

Status: In Progress — SAP Two-Document Fallback Route (per Grace 2026-07-28) Last Updated: 2026-08-08 Immigration Manager: Grace Shin — Grace.Shin@twosigma.com / 646-860-4618 Law Firm: Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP — Lauren Stulmaker (lstulmaker@fragomen.com / 212-891-7589)


Overview

Two Sigma Investments, LP is sponsoring an employment-based green card through the PERM Labor Certification process. The sponsored position is Software Engineer at $170,000/year.

The process consists of three sequential steps:

  1. Prevailing Wage Request — filed with the Department of Labor; takes approximately 3–6 months. Cannot be initiated until all experience letters are in hand.
  2. PERM Labor Certification — filed with DOL after prevailing wage approval; currently taking approximately 12–13 months to adjudicate.
  3. I-140 Immigrant Petition — filed with USCIS after PERM approval; premium processing available (~15 business days for ~$2,500).

Current Immigration Status

FieldDetail
Current StatusH-1B
PetitionerTwo Sigma Investments, LP
H-1B Validity (Current)October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2026
H-1B ExtensionApproved 2026-09-02 (notified by Leslie Liu). Years 4–6; exact validity dates to confirm from the I-797 approval notice when it arrives. Original notice to be mailed by the law firm — delivery address to be confirmed
H-1B Hard CapSeptember 2029 — 6-year maximum without an approved I-140
LCA Case NumberI-200-23123-987327 (Certified)
H-1B Receipt NumberIOE8136621272
Prior StatusTN (August 2022 – October 2023)
PassportAR167354 — expires January 2033
CitizenshipCanadian

Note: The I-140 must be approved before September 2029 or further H-1B extensions will not be possible. The PERM and I-140 process together take a minimum of 18–24 months. Experience letters are currently the critical path item.


Timeline

Completed

DateEvent
2022-08-08TN petition filed with USCIS (receipt EAC2229451375) — approved via Vermont Service Center (Gmail thread)
2022-08-11Leslie Liu confirms original TN approval notice shipped via FedEx (tracking 777700237701) (Gmail)
2022-08-26TN status obtained at Peace Bridge border crossing — I-94 issued, valid to passport expiry October 2023 (Gmail)
2022-08-28First day in the United States on TN status
2022-08-29Leslie Liu advises: renew passport, then request full 3-year TN extension (Gmail)
2023-01-30New Canadian passport obtained (AR167354, valid to January 2033)
2023-03-09H-1B registration received by USCIS
2023-03-25H-1B registration selected for FY2024 cap — Beneficiary Confirmation: 2024-a223-8535-8634
2023-05-24H-1B cap petition filed via premium processing — sent via FedEx to USCIS Texas Service Center
2023-06-06H-1B approved — valid 10/01/2023 to 09/30/2026 (Receipt: IOE8136621272)
2023-10-01Status changed to H-1B
2024-09-12Grace Shin issues Action Required notice — experience letters required to proceed with green card process (Gmail)
2025-01-07immigration@twosigma.com requests documents for case preparation (Gmail)
2025-07-08Grace Shin’s email and draft experience letters forwarded to personal Gmail (Gmail)
2025-07-08Contacted Anthony Abramski (former SAP colleague) regarding SAP HR contact
2025-07-15Anthony Abramski provided sap-alumni.com portal link
2026-03-23PERM Experience Letter Guidelines v2 forwarded to personal Gmail (Gmail)
2026-03-23Initial email sent to americas.hr@sap.com — bounced; inbox blocked to external senders
2026-03-23Called SAP Vancouver office (604-647-8888) — obtained correct HR address: hrdirectamericas@sap.com
2026-03-23Email sent to hrdirectamericas@sap.com with attorney draft letter attached (Gmail)
2026-03-23Auto-acknowledgment received from SAP People & Culture — 1–2 business day response expected (Gmail)
2026-03-23LinkedIn message sent to Stephan Wehner (Owner, The Buckmaster Institute) with attorney draft letter attached
2026-03-23Stephan responded asking for end date of employment and timeline needed by
2026-03-23Confirmed end date (August 31, 2021) and requested letter within 2 weeks given attorney is moving things along
2026-03-28Stephan confirmed he will send the letter — asked if email is okay; confirmed yes, directed to amanschhina@gmail.com
2026-03-26SAP HR (Earvin, GlobalHRdirect@sap.com) responded — requested i-number, date of birth, and most recent manager for verification (Ticket: 7006039059) (Gmail)
2026-03-26Replied with verification details — i-number: 01897234, DOB: August 24, 1992, Manager: Ryan Wong
2026-03-27SAP HR (Earvin) responded — manager approval required before duties/responsibilities can be included in letter (Gmail)
2026-03-28Emailed Ryan Wong (r.wong@sap.com) with draft letter attached — requested manager approval of duties
2026-03-28Replied to Earvin confirming Ryan has been contacted and approval is pending
2026-03-29Received experience letter from Stephan Wehner via email — dated March 30, 2026, covers ML Engineer role 05/01/2021 to 08/31/2021
2026-03-29Thanked Stephan on LinkedIn — letter confirmed received
2026-03-29Emailed Grace Shin with Buckmaster letter attached — flagged skills section phrasing difference, noted holding off pending job description confirmation from March 13th conversation, provided SAP ticket update
2026-04-02Ryan Wong responded with completed experience letter draft (not on official SAP letterhead) (Gmail)
2026-04-11Reviewed Ryan Wong’s letter — two issues flagged: (1) not on official SAP letterhead, (2) skills section lists frontend/web development skills rather than DevOps skills. Holding pending Grace Shin guidance.
2026-04-11Thanked Ryan Wong for providing the letter
2026-04-11Grace Shin responded — will confirm on “demonstrated knowledge of” language; asked to hold off on SAP letter until new manager confirms any changes to job description/skills requirements
2026-04-11Emailed Grace Shin confirming Ryan Wong’s letter received; clarified outreach was initiated before her hold request; attached Ryan’s signed letter for her reference
2026-06-15Grace Shin forwarded next steps — new manager updated the job description (track changes attached), skills requirements unchanged, existing letter templates still usable. Asked to (1) confirm Buckmaster letter is on official letterhead, (2) obtain SAP letter on official letterhead; if SAP refuses, refer to PERM guidelines section on employers unwilling to provide detailed letters
2026-06-15Replied to Grace — confirmed Buckmaster usable as-is, acknowledged SAP letterhead requirement
2026-06-15Emailed Ryan Wong requesting the letter on official SAP letterhead, or routing through SAP HR with his approval (Gmail)
2026-06-30Followed up with Ryan Wong — no response yet (Gmail)
2026-07-07Grace Shin followed up requesting status
2026-07-28Replied to Grace — still no response from Ryan Wong despite nudge; asked how to proceed
2026-07-28Grace replied with fallback route: (1) general employment letter from SAP on official letterhead (basic details per guidelines), plus (2) detailed letter using the SAP template — notarized if not on letterhead. Re-asked for Buckmaster letterhead confirmation. Flagged urgency: 6-year H-1B max is 9/30/2029, I-140 approval needed to extend beyond it
2026-08-08Forwarded green card thread (incl. Grace’s 2026-07-28 reply) to personal Gmail (Gmail)
2026-08-08Verified Buckmaster letter is on official letterhead — centered company masthead (name, 2150 Adanac St address, website, phone/fax) with scanned ink signature, Stephan Wehner as CEO
2026-08-08Emailed Stephan Wehner requesting written confirmation that the letter is on Buckmaster’s official letterhead (Gmail)
2026-08-08Emailed SAP HR (Earvin, ticket 7006039059) requesting a general employment verification letter on official SAP letterhead — name, title, dates, full-time status only; no duties, so no manager approval needed. First half of the two-document fallback route (Gmail)
2026-08-08Replied to Grace (from work email) — stated belief that Buckmaster letter is on official letterhead with Stephan confirmation in flight, reported the SAP general letter request, and asked how notarization should work for Ryan’s plain-paper letter (re-sign before a notary vs. notarizing the existing signed letter)
2026-08-08Consolidated all immigration documents into a single Drive home: Immigration/ — Green Card - PERM (guidelines, updated JD, Experience Letters incl. Ryan’s letter and Buckmaster letter), H1B, TN Documents, Passport & Identity. Gmail-only attachments recovered via Mail.app automation.
2026-08-09Stephan Wehner confirmed the letter is on Buckmaster’s official letterhead (“Yes, don’t have any other”) (Gmail)
2026-08-10Emailed Grace (from work email) confirming the Buckmaster letter is on official company letterhead, verified with Stephan — Buckmaster item fully closed
2026-08-12Leslie Liu (Fragomen) requested last two pay stubs via the case management portal (twosigma.casemgmtsys.com) — for the H-1B extension filing
2026-08-18Uploaded the two pay stubs to the portal (pay periods ending 2026-07-30 and 2026-08-13)
2026-08-10Grace replied (47 min after the letterhead confirmation; forwarded to personal Gmail 2026-08-18): (1) notarization requires the notary to witness the signing, so Ryan must re-sign in front of a notary; (2) asked whether SAP HR said they can only provide a general letter without JD/skills; (3) sequencing: obtain the general HR letter first to confirm accurate employment dates, then have Ryan re-sign and notarize (Gmail)
2026-08-21Leslie Liu (Fragomen) filed the H-1B extension petition
2026-08-24Leslie confirmed the filing; response expected within ~15 business days (mid-September)
2026-09-02H-1B extension APPROVED. Leslie Liu notified via work email (forwarded to personal Gmail 2026-09-03). Law firm will mail the original approval notice; Leslie asked to confirm delivery to the TS office address, or provide home address + phone for home delivery (signature required on delivery). Reminder from Leslie: the petition is position- and location-specific — contact the immigration team before any position change, as it may need an amended petition (Gmail)
2026-09-03Replied to Leslie (work email) confirming the delivery address for the original approval notice
2026-09-03No reply from SAP HR since 2026-08-08 (verified in Gmail — nothing from any sap.com address). Likely cause: the Aug 8 reply omitted the {HRReqNo:[7006039059]} routing tag from the new body text, and the ticket had been idle since March. Follow-up drafted in Gmail on the same thread — tag restored, request restated, “SAP’s policy is to confirm only title and dates” sentence added, asked for turnaround / whether a new ticket is needed. CC’d hrdirectamericas@sap.com (the intake address that worked in March). Sent 2026-09-03 evening.

Experience Letters Required

1. SAP — DevOps Engineer

FieldDetail
RoleDevOps Engineer
Dates of Employment09/07/2021 – 04/29/2022
StatusIn Progress — Fallback route active per Grace (2026-07-28) since Ryan Wong is unresponsive. Two documents needed: (1) general employment letter from SAP on official letterhead, (2) detailed letter per the SAP template, notarized if not on letterhead. Ryan’s signed detailed letter already in hand — notarization mechanics to be confirmed with Grace.
Primary ContactGlobalHRdirect@sap.com (Earvin) — Ticket: 7006039059
Manager ContactRyan Wong — r.wong@sap.com (responded 2026-04-02)
Backup ContactAnthony Abramski (current SAP employee) — via LinkedIn
Attorney Draftdraft-exp-letter - SAP.doc (Grace’s email)
Received Letter (not on letterhead)AmanChhina-exp-letter - SAP.doc (Gmail)
NotesGrace’s 2026-07-28 guidance supersedes the single-letterhead-letter approach: pursue the PERM guidelines fallback route now. The general employment letter (dates + title) is standard HR fare and should be obtainable via the open GlobalHRdirect ticket without manager approval. For the detailed letter, Ryan’s already-signed version can be used if notarized — open question for Grace whether Ryan must re-sign before a notary or whether an affidavit-style approach works.

2. The Buckmaster Institute — Machine Learning Engineer

FieldDetail
RoleMachine Learning Engineer
Dates of Employment05/01/2021 – 08/31/2021
StatusComplete and closed 2026-08-10. Letter received 2026-03-29 on official Buckmaster letterhead, signed by Stephan Wehner as CEO. Counsel confirmed usable as-is (Grace, 2026-06-15). Letterhead visually verified 2026-08-08, confirmed in writing by Stephan 2026-08-09, and confirmed to Grace 2026-08-10.
Primary ContactStephan Wehner (Owner) — via LinkedIn
Attorney Draftdraft-exp-letter - Buckmaster Institute.doc (Grace’s email)
Received LetterAmandeep-Chhina-Machine-Learning-Engineer.docx (Gmail)
NotesLetter confirmed on official Buckmaster Institute letterhead (company name, Vancouver address, website, phone) and signed by Stephan Wehner as CEO, sent from his company email (stephan@buckmaster.ca). Counsel confirmed usable as-is. This letter is done.

Projected Timeline

All estimates are based on current DOL and USCIS published processing times as of March 2026. Both agencies update their figures regularly — see the tracking sources below.

MilestoneEstimated DateBasis
Experience letters receivedApril–May 2026Dependent on SAP HR and Buckmaster responses
Prevailing Wage Request filedMay 2026Requires experience letters first
Prevailing Wage approvedAugust–September 2026~3–4 months (DOL, March 2026 data)
Recruitment period & PERM prepSeptember–October 2026Minimum 60-day recruitment window required by DOL
PERM filedNovember 2026After recruitment period closes
PERM approvedMarch–April 2028~16.5 months average (DOL reports 503 days as of March 2026)
I-140 filed with premium processingApril 2028Must be filed within 180 days of PERM certification
I-140 approved (premium)May 2028~15 business days with premium processing ($2,965 fee as of March 2026)
H-1B hard capSeptember 20296-year maximum
Estimated buffer~16 monthsBased on above estimates

Note on PERM audit risk: Approximately 1 in 3 PERM applications is selected for audit. If audited, the case moves to a separate queue — DOL is currently reviewing audited cases filed in June 2025, adding an estimated 3–6 months to the timeline. An audit-proof filing is critical.

Processing Time Tracking Sources

These are the authoritative sources for current processing times. Both are updated regularly and should be checked periodically.

SourceURLUpdate Frequency
DOL — Prevailing Wage & PERM processing timeshttps://flag.dol.gov/processingtimesMonthly
USCIS — I-140 and all form processing timeshttps://egov.uscis.gov/processing-timesWeekly
USCIS — Case statushttps://egov.uscis.gov/casestatusReal-time

Priority Date — Canadian Chargeability

Key Concept

Canada is not subject to a per-country backlog. Canadians are charged under the “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed” column in the Visa Bulletin — commonly called Rest of World (ROW). The countries with their own oversubscribed columns are China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines. Canada is not one of them.

This means the priority date situation for Canadians is fundamentally different from Indian or Chinese nationals, who face decade-long waits. For ROW applicants, the wait between I-140 approval and green card issuance is typically measured in months, not years — and can sometimes be immediate.

Your Priority Date

The priority date is established at the PERM filing date — estimated November 2026 based on the current projected timeline. Once established, it does not change.

April 2026 Visa Bulletin — Current Status (ROW)

CategoryFinal Action Date (Chart A)Dates for Filing (Chart B)
EB-1 ROWCurrentCurrent
EB-2 ROWCurrent (jumped from Oct 2024)Current
EB-3 ROWJune 1, 2024Current

For April 2026, USCIS has confirmed applicants should use the Dates for Filing chart for adjustment of status filings.

What This Means for You

EB-2 ROW is current on Final Action Dates as of April 2026 — meaning anyone with an approved I-140 and a ROW priority date from any point in the past can immediately file for adjustment of status. By the time your estimated I-140 approval lands in May 2028, a November 2026 priority date will be well behind the current cutoff under virtually any realistic scenario, meaning the priority date should not be a meaningful bottleneck for your case.

However, this requires an important caveat.

Retrogression Risk

The current favorable state of EB-2 ROW is not driven by reduced demand — it is an artifact of the Trump administration’s immigration restrictions under Presidential Proclamations 10949 and 10998, which have paused or reduced immigrant visa issuance for nationals of approximately 75 countries. With fewer consular visas being issued abroad, unused numbers have been redirected domestically, artificially advancing priority dates.

The Department of State has explicitly warned in the April 2026 bulletin that retrogression may be necessary later in the fiscal year if demand materializes or if court orders modify the current restrictions. Immigration analysts flag July–August 2026 as the most likely retrogression window for EB-2 and EB-3 ROW.

For planning purposes, the safe assumption is that EB-2/EB-3 ROW will have some backlog by the time your priority date matters in 2028 — but given Canada’s chargeability status, any wait is likely to be measured in months, not years. The scenario where ROW falls behind by 2+ years (comparable to India) is considered unlikely by most analysts absent a major structural change to immigration law.

Where to Monitor Priority Dates

SourceURLUpdate FrequencyWhat It Provides
DOS Visa Bulletin (official)https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.htmlMonthly (released ~2nd week of prior month)Definitive source for all cut-off dates
USCIS AOS Filing Chartshttps://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/visa-availability-priority-dates/adjustment-of-status-filing-charts-from-the-visa-bulletinMonthlyConfirms which chart (Final Action vs. Dates for Filing) USCIS will honor that month
Boundless Visa Bulletin trackerhttps://www.boundless.com/blog/visa-bulletinMonthlyPlain-language summary of changes with historical context
Charlie Oppenheimer (Reddy Neumann)https://www.rnlawgroup.comMonthlyPractitioner analysis of DOL and USCIS processing times alongside Visa Bulletin

Pending Actions

  • SAP general employment letter on letterhead — requested 2026-08-08 via GlobalHRdirect ticket (7006039059, Earvin); no response in 4 weeks. Follow-up sent 2026-09-03 (Gmail, same thread, CC hrdirectamericas@sap.com). If still silent by ~2026-09-09: fresh email to hrdirectamericas@sap.com as a new ticket, then call SAP Vancouver (604-647-8888) if that also stalls. Basic name/title/dates/full-time letter; no manager approval needed.
  • Await Grace’s answer on notarization mechanics — answered 2026-08-10: notary must witness the signing; Ryan must re-sign in front of a notary. No after-the-fact notarization of the April letter.
  • Reply to Grace — confirm her question: yes, SAP HR said the detailed letter (JD/skills) requires former-manager approval, so only the general letter is available from HR directly. Confirm the plan follows her sequencing (general letter first, then Ryan re-sign + notarize).
  • Reply to Grace — sent 2026-08-08: Buckmaster letterhead belief stated (Stephan confirmation in flight), SAP general letter request reported, notarization mechanics question asked.
  • Stephan letterhead confirmation — received 2026-08-09 (“Yes, don’t have any other”); relayed to Grace 2026-08-10. Buckmaster fully closed.
  • SAP letter on official letterhead via Ryan Wong — superseded by fallback route (Grace, 2026-07-28); Ryan unresponsive since 2026-06-15.
  • Thank Ryan Wong — done 2026-04-11.
  • Stephan Wehner (Buckmaster) letter — received 2026-03-29, confirmed on letterhead, counsel-approved.
  • Buckmaster “demonstrated knowledge of” language — resolved; Grace confirmed templates usable as-is (2026-06-15).
  • Ryan/Anthony sequencing — GATED ON EARVIN’S LETTER (per Grace 2026-08-10) — Grace’s order: obtain the general HR letter first to confirm accurate employment dates, then approach Ryan. When Earvin’s letter arrives: (1) verify dates against Ryan’s letter and the draft; (2) email Ryan with the new, simpler ask — no SAP involvement needed, just re-sign the same letter in front of a notary (fresh subject line + LinkedIn as second channel; offer to cover the notary fee; check whether his letter states his current job title first and revise if not); (3) if Ryan silent ~1 week after that, play the Anthony card with the now-easy nudge. Meanwhile a no-cost recon message to Anthony (“is Ryan still at SAP?”) is fine.
  • Check SAP general letter for “employer’s practice” statement when it arrives — per PERM guidelines, the general letter must state it is the employer’s practice to only confirm dates of employment and job title. Not explicitly requested in the 2026-08-08 email to Earvin; follow up if missing.
  • Check Ryan’s letter states his current job title — PERM guidelines require the co-worker/manager letter to include the individual’s current title and their title at the former employer. Verify before notarization; revise if missing.
  • Drive consolidation — complete 2026-08-08. Immigration/ holds Green Card - PERM (guidelines, updated JD, Experience Letters incl. Ryan’s letter, both saved via Mail.app automation), H1B, TN Documents, Passport & Identity. Remaining: review and empty the _To Delete/ staging folder.
  • Review updated PERM job description — new manager’s revised JD with track changes attached to Grace’s 2026-06-15 email. Confirm it looks accurate.
  • H-1B extension — filed 2026-08-21 by Leslie Liu / Fragomen; approved 2026-09-02, well ahead of the ~15-business-day estimate.
  • Reply to Leslie — delivery address for the original I-797 approval notice — replied 2026-09-03 (work email).
  • Save the I-797 approval notice to Immigration/H1B in Drive when it arrives and update the H-1B validity dates in Current Immigration Status.
  • Enquire about NIW (National Interest Waiver) — ask Fragomen whether this is a viable parallel path given ML/quantitative systems background. Does not require employer sponsorship or PERM.

Risk Register

RiskLikelihoodMitigation
Ryan Wong email bounces or no responseMediumAsk Anthony Abramski to locate Ryan internally at SAP
SAP HR provides basic letter only (dates and title)MediumAnthony Abramski provides supplementary co-worker letter on current employer letterhead
SAP HR does not respondLow–MediumEscalate to Anthony Abramski; notify Grace Shin to assess alternatives
Stephan Wehner unable or unwilling to provide Buckmaster letterLowNotify Grace Shin immediately — 4-month tenure may be excludable depending on PERM minimum requirements
Layoff from Two SigmaLow60-day grace period; TN visa available as Canadian citizen; NIW as parallel path
PERM audit by DOLLow–MediumFragomen manages response; all documentation must be consistent and complete
I-140 RFE due to experience letter mismatchLowEnsure letter language matches PERM job description (ETA Form 9089) word-for-word

Key Documents

Drive home: Immigration/ — the single consolidated location as of 2026-08-08. Contains Green Card - PERM (with Experience Letters), H1B, TN Documents, and Passport & Identity.

DocumentLocation
PERM Experience Letter Guidelines v2Drive — Immigration/Green Card - PERM
Draft — SAP Experience LetterDrive — Immigration/…/Experience Letters
Draft — Buckmaster Experience LetterDrive — Immigration/…/Experience Letters
Buckmaster Letter (signed, on letterhead)Drive — Immigration/…/Experience Letters
Ryan Wong’s signed SAP letter (plain paper)Drive — Immigration/…/Experience Letters
Updated PERM JD (track changes)Drive — Immigration/Green Card - PERM
SAP Offer Letter / Pay Stubs (Personnel No. 01897234)Drive — Work/SAP + SAP-PayStubs
Certified LCA (Form ETA-9035)Drive — Immigration/H1B
H-1B Approval (I-129A) / CAP Petition Filing Copy / Approval MemoDrive — Immigration/H1B
York University Degree and TranscriptDrive — Immigration/TN Documents

Key Contacts

NameRoleContact
Grace ShinImmigration Manager, Two SigmaGrace.Shin@twosigma.com / 646-860-4618
Lauren StulmakerPartner, Fragomenlstulmaker@fragomen.com / 212-891-7589
EarvinSAP HR Global Direct (active ticket)GlobalHRdirect@sap.com — Ticket: 7006039059
Ryan WongFormer SAP Managerr.wong@sap.com
Anthony AbramskiFormer SAP colleague (backup contact)LinkedIn
Stephan WehnerOwner, The Buckmaster InstituteLinkedIn

Notes

  • Experience letters must align with the PERM job description on ETA Form 9089 word-for-word. USCIS cross-references these at the I-140 stage and will issue an RFE if there are discrepancies.
  • Co-worker letters are not sufficient as a standalone submission when the former employer is still in business. They must accompany at least a basic confirmation letter from the employer.
  • Canadian citizenship provides a meaningful fallback. TN visa status is obtainable at the border for qualifying professional roles including software engineering and does not consume the H-1B clock.
  • The NIW (National Interest Waiver) is worth discussing with Fragomen as a parallel path — it does not require employer sponsorship or PERM certification, and may be viable given the ML and quantitative systems background.
  • The prevailing wage request cannot be filed until both experience letters are confirmed. This is the current bottleneck.
  • SAP employee details: i-number 01897234, manager Ryan Wong, personnel number confirmed via pay stub.