.11.114011111 iJwa lavu tin 101.1VII 

MATTER OF BIJENATENTIIILk 

In Visa Petition Proceedingu 

A-17192986 

Decided by District Director November 2, 1967 

Since the minimum requirements for professional recognition as a school counselor consists of graduate level work in the guidance field plus at least one 

year of teaching experience, beneficiary, who has done no graduate level work 

in the guidance field and has no teaching experience, is not a qualified member 

of the professions within the meaning of section 101(a) (32) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, and is not eligible for preference 

classification under section 203(a) (3) of the Act, as amended, as a school 

counselor. 

Discussion z The petitioner seeks classification, as a preference immigrant under section 203(a) (3) of the Immigration and Nationality 

Act, as amended, based upon her qualifications as a school counselor. 

She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in guidance and counseling 

from St. Scholastica's College, Manila, Philippines on April 11, 1964. 

She was employed as a Guidance Counselor from June 1964 to August 

1905 by the I:)e La Salle College, Manila, Philippines and from April 

1966 to date has been employed as Guidance Counselor by the Assumption Convent, Makati, Rizol, Philippines. 

Counselors are listed under professional, technical, and managerial 

occupations, Code 045.108 in the dictionary of occupational titles, 

Volume I, 3rd Edition, prepared by the United States Department of 

Labor. The duties involve counseling individuals and providing group 

educational and vocational guidance services : collecting, organizing, 

and analyzing information about individuals through records, tests, 

interviews, and professional sources to appraise their interests, aptitudes, abilities, and personality characteristics for vocational and 

educational planning; compiling and studying occupational, educational, and economic information to aid counselees in nntiring and 

carrying out vocational and educational objectives ; referring students 

to placement service; assisting individuals to understand and overcome social and emotional problems, and engaging in research and 

follow-up activities to evaluate counseling techniques:Counselors may 

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internn Decision .#1869 

teach classes and may be designated according to area of activity 

as counselor, college; counselor, school. 

The Occupational Outlook Handbook, 1966-1967 edition, of the 

United States Department of Lahor, states that most states require 

counselors to have both a teaching certificate and a counseling certificate. A counseling certificate usually requires graduate level work in 

the guidance field, and from one to five years teaching experience. 

Seventeen states require a Masters Degree in counseling; and about 

half the states require some work experience outside the teaching 

fields. In some school systems, teachers who have completed half of 

the courses required for the Masters Degree may counsel under 

supervision while taking additional courses. 

Based upon the foregoing, it is concluded that the minimum requirements for professional recognition as a school counselor consists of 

graduate level work in the guidance field plus at least one year of 

teaching experience. The beneficiary possesses no graduate level work 

and no teaching experience. Consequently, she does not qualify as a 

member of the professions under section 203(a) (8). 

ORDER : It is ordered that the petition to clasisfy the status of Aglaloros, Abueg Buenaventura as a preference immigrant under section 

203(a) (3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, be 

and is hereby denied. 

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