Mounting Pressure on US Government to Alleviate Green Card Wait for Indians

Lawmakers are calling on President Biden to tackle the Green Card backlog, which has resulted in a staggering 195-year wait for Indian immigrants.

The Green Card backlog has reached unprecedented levels, leaving numerous high-skilled immigrants in perpetual uncertainty. To address this urgent concern, a bipartisan group of 56 US lawmakers, led by Congressmen Raja Krishnamoorthi and Larry Bucshon, has appealed to President Joe Biden to take executive action and provide relief to high-skilled employment-based visa holders.

More and More Indians Prefer Canada due to Desperation

According to Forbes, Indian immigration to Canada has tripled since 2013 and one of the main reasons is the backlog of employment-based green card process in the U.S. The surge in the influx of Indians moving to Canada happened concurrently with the rise of Donald Trump to power and his stance against immigration, especially for highly educated professionals. At the same time, the Canadian government implemented policies to attract and retain foreign-born talent.

In January 2015, Canada introduced the Express Entry program to simplify immigration procedures, with a focus on high-skilled workers who had prior experience in Canada as international students or temporary workers. Additionally, in June 2017, Canada initiated the Global Skills Strategy, a program aimed at encouraging foreign investment, incentivizing companies to establish offices in the country, and attracting exceptional foreign talent, as stated on a government website. This year, again, Canada is trying to “steal” skilled workers from the U.S. by giving 10,000 slots for H1B holders to go to Canada without the need to get another work authorization. Those who got laid off in the U.S. and couldn’t find a job during the so-called “grace period” can choose to relocate to Canada. Not only can they have a 3-year work authorization automatically if the application gets approved by the Canadian government, but their spouses can also be granted work authorizations in Canada.

Due to the rigid immigration regulation and the economic situation of the post-pandemic era, the U.S. is losing tech workers. Lawmakers and politicians are working from all angles now, hoping things can be improved while having a democratic president.

It’s Time to Stop the Neighbor from Stealing America’s Tech Workers

Early this year, Modi visited the U.S. and advocated for Indian H1B holders, proposing domestic visa renewals. Last month, Indian-descent Democratic lawmakers, seek to boost the quota lottery from 65,000 to 130,000. This time, lawmakers are aiming Green Card process directly.

This proposal revolves around the 7% country cap on employment-based Green Card allocation, which has resulted in a staggering backlog of 195 years for Indian applicants. The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS USA) appealed to Joe Biden to address this problem. This prolonged backlog disproportionately affects Indian tech professionals, a significant portion of highly skilled STEM talent, and US-educated graduates, who play a crucial role in maintaining the US’s competitive edge in the technology industries.

The Game Changer

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi is confident that utilizing existing laws to alleviate bureaucratic delays in the immigration system will bolster the economy and generate job opportunities. Congressman Bucshon emphasizes the importance of providing legal immigrants with the freedom to switch jobs and travel without hindrance.

In addition, Aman Kapoor, the President of Immigration Voice, highlights the transformative nature of the proposed measure, which stands to benefit nearly one million high-skilled immigrants by granting them essential human rights like the ability to work and travel. Kapoor points out the discriminatory aspects of the current immigration system, where Indian nationals face waiting times of up to 200 years for a Green Card, while citizens from 150 other countries face no wait at all.

Most Indian international students still consider the U.S. as their first choice. Many were pushed to Canada or other countries merely due to the desperation caused by the immigration policy. After all, the U.S. has way more tech jobs compared to any other country. And the salary for tech workers in the U.S. is more competitive than those in Canada. However, with only 14% for the first round and 12% for the second round, getting an H1B became hard and hard. What are the other ways to stay in the U.S. and work legally? 

Practical Ways to Stay in the U.S. and Work Legally 

One of the most practical paths is to extend your years of being an F1 student and using CPT as a form of work authorization.

Typically, CPT work-study programs permit international students to commence work either during their first semester of enrollment or after successfully completing their first year at an academic institution.

However, according to the guidelines, F-1 visa holders can be eligible for CPT from the very first day of their initial semester if their curriculum necessitates practical training, which is often the case for graduate students.

Consequently, numerous colleges and universities in the U.S. provide programs that enable international students to start practical training from the first day of their college's first semester. These institutions are commonly referred to as Day 1 CPT universities.

Day 1 CPT is seen as a new pathway to legally stay and work in the U.S. while waiting for a more permanent solution, which now has a chance to become more realistic."

If you are interested in this option, book a free consultation with our experts. They will help to evaluate your eligibility, consolidate a personalized Day 1 CPT university list for you and assist you throughout the whole application process as well as getting exclusive scholarships for you.

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Day 1 CPT Universities - Free Consultation