Why Are Indians Facing Longer Wait Times for US Green Cards Compared to Other Nationalities?
More than a million Indian professionals and their families are currently ensnared in a substantial backlog for US Green Cards. This situation has led to an alarming scenario where potential wait times can span decades. The primary reasons for this backlog are the country-specific caps and the limited number of Green Cards issued annually, which are particularly affecting Indians due to high demand and a restrictive quota system.
What Does the Backlog Look Like?
As of November 2, 2023, data from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) indicates that 1,259,443 Indians are waiting for Green Cards in the top three employment-based categories. Here’s a quick breakdown:
– First Preference (EB-1): This category is reserved for individuals with extraordinary abilities, outstanding professors and researchers, and certain multinational executives or managers. Currently, about 143,497 Indians are caught in this backlog.
– Second Preference (EB-2): Targeting professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional abilities, this category has seen the largest congregation of Indians waiting—approximately 838,784.
– Third Preference (EB-3): This includes skilled workers and professionals requiring at least a bachelor’s degree, with around 277,162 Indians (including dependents) waiting.
In particular, the EB-2 category witnessed a surge of more than 240,000 Indians, or a 40 percent increase over the last three years, underscoring the growing demand for US Green Cards among Indian professionals.
How Does This Compare to Other Countries?
The per-country limit restricts each nation to only 7 percent of the total Green Cards issued annually. For perspective, nearly 148,000 Chinese professionals and their dependents are currently in the backlog for employment-based Green Cards. The priority date for Indians in the EB-2 category is set at May 15, 2012, meaning only those who applied before this date are now eligible to proceed with their Green Card issuance.
What Are the Projections for the Future?
According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), if no changes are made, the backlog for Indian nationals could escalate to 2,195,795 by FY 2030. Even more starkly, it could take as long as 195 years to clear this backlog, a duration that spans multiple generations and poses severe challenges for prospective applicants and their families.
What Impact Does This Have on Indian Applicants and the US?
The extensive wait times not only create stress and uncertainty for individuals and families, but they also undermine the United States’ capability to attract and retain top talent from India. The overall cap on employment-based Green Cards, set at 140,000 annually, along with the rigid per-country limits, has sparked debates and calls for reform.
Is There a Way Forward?
Stakeholders, including the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), are urging Congress to reform these quota systems to speed up the process and align it with the demands of the global and digital economy. Such changes are essential to sustain the US as a prime destination for global talent and innovation.
To learn more about US immigration policies and how they affect your Green Card application, visit USCIS’s official page.
Conclusion
As it stands, the plight of Indian Green Card applicants paints a troubling picture of the current US immigration landscape. Long wait times not only disrupt the lives of individuals and families but also potentially deter highly skilled talent from contributing to the US economy. Moving forward, legislative changes are crucial to creating a more responsive and equitable immigration system that can efficiently process the growing number of applicants from countries like India.
Learn Today:
1. Green Card Backlog:
A backlog refers to the accumulation of pending applications exceeding the processing capacity. In the context of Green Cards, it reflects the significant delay in processing applications due to high demand or other constraints, resulting in extended waiting periods for individuals seeking permanent residency in the United States.
2. Per-Country Limit:
The per-country limit sets a cap on the number of immigrant visas or Green Cards that can be issued to applicants from a particular country in a given fiscal year. This restriction ensures diversity in immigration by preventing any single country from dominating the issuance of visas, leading to equitable distribution among nations.
3. Priority Date:
In the context of immigration, a priority date is the date an immigrant visa petition is filed with USCIS or the Department of State. It determines an individual’s place in line for visa processing, with visas being issued based on priority dates. Applicants must wait for their priority date to become current before proceeding with the final stages of visa issuance.
4. Employment-Based Categories (EB-1, EB-2, EB-3):
These categories classify individuals seeking employment-based Green Cards based on their qualifications and job requirements.
– EB-1: Reserved for individuals with extraordinary abilities, outstanding professors/researchers, and certain multinational executives or managers.
– EB-2: Targets professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional abilities.
– EB-3: Includes skilled workers and professionals requiring at least a bachelor’s degree.
5. Congressional Research Service (CRS):
An agency within the Library of Congress, the CRS provides Congress with objective, non-partisan research and analysis on various policy issues. In the immigration context, CRS reports offer insights into current immigration trends, projections, and policy implications, aiding lawmakers in understanding the complex landscape of immigration-related challenges.
This Article In A Nutshell:
The US Green Card backlog affects over a million Indian professionals due to country-specific caps. Indians face lengthy wait times—some spanning decades—caused by limited yearly Green Card allocations. Urging Congress for reform, stakeholders seek to eliminate delays, which hinder attracting and retaining top talent, potentially stalling the US economy.
— By VisaVerge.com
