Green card applicants have been waiting for years because of the huge backlog. Now, the US President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders has proposed reducing processing times. The mint interprets the offers.
Why is the Green Card so coveted?
A green card holder is a permanent resident of the United States who is allowed to live and work in the country on a permanent basis. As proof of that status, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issues a permanent resident card to an individual. Many skilled professionals who immigrate to the US for better opportunities prefer a permanent citizenship, making the Green Card program a coveted one. One can apply for permanent resident status in a number of ways, including through humanitarian programs sponsored by a family member or U.S. employer.
What are the new recommendations?
The Advisory Commission has recommended that USCIS reduce green card backlogs by reviewing its processes, systems, and policies, and by setting new internal cycle time targets. This, the panel recommends, can be done by removing unnecessary steps, automating manual approvals, improving internal dashboards and reporting systems, and enhancing other policies. It should aim to reduce the processing time of all types of green card applications to six months. The panel also recommended hiring of additional officers to process the applications from August 2022.
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Why are these proposals important now?
The current immigration system has resulted in a huge backlog. Many applicants have to wait for years. In 2021, only 65,452 family preference green cards were issued out of the available annual 226,000. There were 421,358 interviews pending in April as compared to 436,700 in March. Thus, many families planning to move to America were barred from doing so.
What are the reasons behind the backlog?
Experts believe that there are several reasons for the rise in cases. First, there are too many applications and the US immigration system is underfunded and lacks the equipment and resources to handle such volumes. Second, there may be inefficiencies in the system. Third, the system is not very well organized in terms of speed, design and capabilities to handle high volumes. Fourth, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was closed for months and employees fell ill, resulting in delays.
What are the implications for Indian technical experts?
Indian IT professionals coming to the US on H-1B work visas are most affected by the current immigration system, which imposes a 7% per country quota on green card allocation. A more efficient immigration system will help Indian IT professionals get faster approval to become US citizens. This, in turn, will give them more flexibility in choosing employment within the country as compared to H-1B employment, which has stricter employment terms.