DECODING THE GREEN CARD WAIT: HOW COUNTRY-BASED QUOTAS AFFECT INDIA’S IMMIGRATION JOURNEY…!!
The wait for green cards, also known as Permanent Resident Cards, has been a source of frustration and anxiety for individuals from India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines. This delay is primarily caused by the country-based quota system implemented in the United States, which can only be altered by the US Congress. Let’s explore this issue in a more approachable way.
A green card is an important document that grants immigrants the privilege of residing permanently in the United States. However, there are numerical limits, or caps, on the number of green cards that can be issued to individuals from each country.
According to immigration law, approximately 140,000 employment-based green cards are allocated each year. However, only seven percent of these green cards can be granted to individuals from a single country annually. This means that the number of green cards available to people from India, for example, is limited to around 7,000–8,000 per year due to this country cap.
To put it into perspective, there are around 85,000 H-1B work visas issued annually, and approximately 60 percent of these visas are given through a lottery system to tech workers from India. This results in roughly 51,000–60,000 H-1B visas being granted to Indian professionals each year.
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that enables US companies to hire foreign workers with specialized knowledge or expertise in certain fields. Many technology companies rely on this visa program to recruit and employ tens of thousands of employees from countries like India and China.
Unfortunately, the wait time for Indian professionals seeking green cards has stretched to over a decade in some cases. This lengthy process is due to the limited number of green cards available to individuals from India under the current system. As a result, the visa wait time often extends by several years, causing significant uncertainty and frustration for those affected.
It’s essential to understand that the country-based quota system is established by the US Congress, and any changes to this system must be enacted by Congress itself. This means that the allocation of green cards is ultimately subject to legislative decisions.
In conclusion, the prolonged wait for green cards faced by individuals from India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines is primarily due to the country-based quota system established by the US Congress. The limited number of green cards available for each country, coupled with the high demand for H-1B visas, has created a significant backlog and extended wait times. Advocacy and potential legislative changes are necessary to address this issue and provide relief for those affected by the current system.
