Interim Decision #1668 

MATTER or WAR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 

In Visa Petition Proceedings 

DET-11--3004 

Deckled by Regional Commissioner September 8, 1966 

A Canadian pathologist of distinguished merit and ability, who from time to 

time will cross the border to a neighboring hospital in Michigan, when that 

hospital's regular pathologist is away, to perform only isolated pathological 

services which cannot be delayed until the return of the staff pithqlogist r 

(1) is eligible for nonimmigrait classification under section 101(a) (15) (H) 

of the Immigration and Nationality Act, since he win perform only isolated 

emergent pathological services and will not occupy the position of pathologist, which is a permanent one, in the absence of the staff pathologist. 

The case is on appeal from the Acting District Director's denial of 

the petition' to classify a nonimmigrant as an 'alien of distinguished 

merit and ability to perform temporary services of an exceptional 

nature. 

The petitioner, War Memorial Hospital, is a general hospital located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The hospital desires to employ 

the services of the beneficiary of the petition as a pathologist in emergencies when the hospital's regular.pathologist is not available. 

The beneficiary, Dr. Fredric Percival Sparks, is a citizen of Canada, born in that country on October 16, 1901. Evidence has been 

• presented that he received the degree of doctor of medicine from the 

University of Alberta, Canada, on May 16, 1933; that he is a registeredlicentiate of the Medical.Council of Canada; and that he was 

issued a Specialist Certificate in pathology and bacteriology by the 

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada on February 1, 

1947. He resides in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and is a pathologist 

at Plummer Hospital in that city ;which is across the border from 

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. 

Dr. Sparks would be employed irregularly for emergency pathological work when the petitioner's regular pathologist is away, for 

example,- for medical seminars or for short periodi of vacation. Dr. 

Sparks would be paid from the petitioner's laboratory fund at the 

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Interim Decision #1668 

rate of $75 per autopsy and $10 per tissue examination. He would. 

return to his post at Plummer Hospital in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, 

upon completion of each emergency procedure. 

The Acting District Director denied the petition on the ground 

. that the work to be performed in. the United States is not temporary 

in nature, in that the position is a permanent one and the petitioner's 

desire to use the beneficiary for irregular service on emergency work 

does not alter the permanent character of the position. 

On appeal, the petitioning hospital states that there is no other 

pathologist in the area upon whom it can call; that Dr. Spark's services would: be used three to six times a year to take care of emergency 

surgical sped:ions only, and an occasional autopsy, during the absence of the regular pathologist; and that routine specimens accumulated during the latter's absence are processed by him after his 

return. 

Section 214(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides 

for the importation of an alien as a nonimmigrant under section 

101(a) (15) (H) upon the petition of the importing employer. Section 101(a) (15) (H) defines such alien insofar as pertinent here as 

follows: 

An alien having a residence in a. foreign country which be has no intention 

of abandoning (i) who is of distinguished merit and ability and who is 

coming temporarily to the 'United States to perform temporary services of an 

exceptional nature requiring such merit and ability; ... . 

The petition and the supporting documents before us estsblish that 

the beneficiary of the petition has a residence in a foreign country 

which he has no intention of abandoning; that he is of distinguished 

merit and ability; that he would be cominitecmporarily to the ;United 

States; ind. that the *vices he would be coming to perform are of . 

an exceptional nature requiring such merit and ability. The only 

question to. be resolved is whethr • those services are temporary in 

nature. 

While the position of pathologist at the petitioning hospital must 

be considered to be a permanent one, the beneficiary will not occupy 

that position when the staff pathologist is away. He will perform 

from time to time only isolated pathological services which are .emergant and cannot be delayed. until the return of the staff pathologist. 

Therefore, we conclude that the services the beneficiary would perform are temporary services within the meaning of -section 101(a) 

(15) (H) cited above. 

Since the requirements ofthe statute have been met, the petition is 

approvable. Accordingly, the following order will be entered: 

It is ordered that the petition be approved. 

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