A legislation that seeks to push for a merit-based immigration system and increase the allotment of Green Cards by 45 per cent annually has been introduced in the US House of Representatives and may benefit Indian techies if signed into law.
Backed by the Trump administration, the legislation ‘Securing America’s Future Act’ if passed by Congress and signed into law by US President Donald Trump will end the diversity visa programme and reduce the overall immigration levels from currently averaging 1.05 million to 2,60,000 a year.
The legislation was introduced by House Homeland Security Committee Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee Chairwoman Martha McSally, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte and House Judiciary Committee Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee Chairman Raul Labrador.
It seeks to increase the allotment of Green Cards by an impressive 45 per cent from the current 1,20,000 to 1,75,000 per annum.
Indian-American technology professionals, who come to the US mainly on H-1B visas and opt for Green Cards or legal permanent residence status, are expected to be a major beneficiary of the ‘Securing America’s Futures Act’.
As per unofficial estimate, there are nearly 500,000 Indians waiting in the queue for Green Cards and have to seek annual extensions of their H-1B visas. Many wait for decades to get their Green Cards.
