The US President is expected to propose a new immigration system, which will give preference to foreigners based on merit, unlike the current system wherein preference is given to family ties. This policy, if implemented, will come as good news to the thousands of Indian professionals who had an endless wait for a Green Card ahead of them.
With the new policy in place, people with merit and those possessing higher qualifications and degrees will get easy immigration. The focus will be on strengthening border security as well as revamping the system of offering legal permanent residency.
As per the existing practice, only 12 per cent applicants are given green cards based on their skills, while approx. 66 per cent are given green cards on the basis of family ties.
The reform will be of great advantage to the thousands of Indian professionals who possess H-1B visas and have been waiting for a Green Card. A process that usually took about ten years, will now conclude faster.
It will also be especially beneficial to the exceptionally talented students and also those professionals who possess specialised skills for specific jobs.
The reform is based on the point-based system followed by Japan, Australia and Canada. As per this system, applicants are given points for age, proficiency in English and offered jobs within certain salary limits (which are set by the law to offer protection to the low-wage American employees).
