Immigration Article of the Day: Still Waiting: Green Card Problems Persist for High Skill Immigrants – NFAP Policy Brief by Stuart Anderson

Still Waiting: Green Card Problems Persist for High Skill Immigrants – NFAP Policy Brief by Stuart Anderson, National Foundation for American Policy June 2012

Abstract: Over the past several months, skilled foreign nationals have seen no improvement in their prospects for obtaining green cards and, in fact, wait times are likely to increase in employment-based immigration categories, according to a new report released by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), an Arlington, Va.-based policy research group. An earlier analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy concluded (in October 2011) that wait times for employment-based green cards sponsored today can last 5 years or even decades, depending on the category and country of origin. And now, according to the U.S. Department of State, a wait time may be developing for prospective immigrants in the employment-based first preference (EB-1) category (outstanding researchers and professors, aliens of extraordinary ability), which previously had no backlog. Moreover, in another new development, skilled foreign nationals from countries other than China and India in the employment-based second preference (EB-2), for persons of “exceptional ability” and “advanced degree” holders, will soon experience backlogs. And for at least the rest of Fiscal Year 2012, the U.S. Department of State is not accepting new green card applications for nationals of China and India in the EB-2 category.

KJ