TIL Desk/World/Washington/ In a move that will help a significant number of Indians, a group of US lawmakers have sought path to permanent residence for people in the employment-based green card backlog, most of whom are H-1B visa holders. A group of 40 US lawmakers led by Indian-American Raja Krishnamoorthi have written a letter to Speaker of House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer seeking a path to meet this.
There are reportedly 1.2 million people in the employment-based green card backlog. A significant majority of them are from India. Under the current system, no more than seven percent of employment-based green cards are available to individuals from a single country. As a result, individuals from countries with large populations — such as India and China — face decades-long wait times to achieve lawful permanent resident status.
The lawmakers said in order to fully unlock the economic potential of high-skilled immigrants, a pathway to lawful permanent residence must be cleared and the system must be reformed. Reforming this immigration system will be especially helpful to the United States as its economy and workforce continues to recover from the pandemic, they added.
The lawmakers in their letter also said the budget reconciliation package provide relief to the individuals stuck in the employment-based green card backlog, thereby strengthening the economy in the process. “Failure to provide a path to lawful permanent residence for the 1.2 million people in the employment-based green card backlog, most of whom are H-1B visa holders, would be tantamount to staging an economic recovery with one hand tied behind our back,” the letter said.
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