US Congressional Leaders Propose Legislation to Alleviate Green Card Waiting List

Three influential Congressmen, including Indian-Americans Raja Krishnamoorthi and Pramila Jayapal, have introduced bipartisan legislation in the US House of Representatives to reduce the green card backlog and end country-based discrimination for employment-based visas. Congressman Rich McCormick has also joined them in introducing the bill.

The legislation, known as HR 6542 or the Immigration Visa Efficiency and Security Act of 2023, aims to strengthen the US economy and enhance its international competitiveness while addressing the issue of the green card backlog. If passed and signed into law, it would allow American employers to focus on hiring immigrants based on their merit rather than their birthplace.

The bill proposes to phase out the existing seven percent per-country limit on employment-based immigrant visas, while increasing the limit on family-sponsored visas to 15 percent. This move would benefit thousands of Indian-Americans who are currently facing long waits for green cards or permanent residency.

Raja Krishnamoorthi emphasized the importance of not allowing high-skilled workers to remain stuck in the green card backlog, preventing them from fully establishing themselves as Americans and contributing to the nation. He expressed pride in partnering with his colleagues to introduce the bipartisan legislation, which aims to reduce visa backlogs and strengthen the economy and workforce.

The employment-based visa system plays a crucial role in providing permanent residence to individuals whose work contributes to US economic growth. However, the current system forces around 95 percent of employment-based immigrants to live and work in the United States on temporary visas while waiting for a green card. Some individuals remain in temporary status for many years, or even decades, due to the caps imposed on their country of nationality.

The proposed legislation, similar to the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, would phase out the per-country cap for employment-based immigrant visas and raise the limit on family-sponsored visas. It also includes a transition period to ensure that no countries are excluded from receiving visas during the phase-out process.

Additionally, the bill strengthens the H-1B temporary visa program and provides an option for individuals who have been waiting in the immigrant visa backlog for two years to file a green card application. However, the application can only be approved once a visa becomes available.

Overall, this bipartisan legislation aims to address the green card backlog, reduce discrimination based on birthplace, and strengthen the US economy by attracting and retaining high-skilled workers.