Thousands await US Green Card bill

United States, 1st February: A large number of foreign high-skilled workers are eagerly awaiting processing of US Green Card applications.

According to information, applications for US Green Card had been filed by the employers of the international high-skilled professionals for as long as five years or even longer. But, still, the fate of their applications for US Green Cards is unknown.

This is despite the fact that several Congress members favor eliminating the annual US visa caps for applicants having the backing of employers in the US.

The US Senate is not doing anything to approve the proposed legislation for ending the long immigration backlog for high-skilled immigrant professionals from developing economies including China and India.

Bill considered a threat for job-seeking Americans--Republican Senator Chuck Grassley has reportedly halted the proposal for ending the visa backlog for high-skilled professionals from various nations wanting to come to the US for working here.

Grassley stated that such a move could thwart efforts by the US to provide jobs to high-skilled Americans especially as the nation is witnessing an exorbitantly high rate of joblessness. Meanwhile, those supporting the bill for eliminating annual cap on US Green Card refute all such concerns of Grassley.

Every year, the US offers around 140,000 US Green Cards to applicants getting sponsorships from employers. And if the bill gets a green signal from the US Senate, it will only end conditions that limit the total number of US Green Cards provided to applicants from any single nation to 9,800 annually, the supporters of the bill argue.

Agrees a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, David North.

The only concern is that such a step might lead to an increased flow of immigrants possessing high-skills to the US. The bill supporters further add that the concept that high-skilled foreigners are stealing jobs from the Americans is a sheer myth.

That’s because before sponsoring any international worker for a US Green Card, the employer or the firm needs to provide proof of the fact that Americans with requisite skills were not found for the jobs.

Eligibility criteria for application for a US Green Card is possessing a bachelor’s or a higher degree. And the common trend among high-tech foreign workers is to come to the US through the US H- 1B visas and work here for six years during which employers or firms apply on behalf of their workers for a US Green Card before the expiry of six years stay.

It may be mentioned that out of the total backlog of high-tech foreign workers, around 1 million are Indians.