Immigrant visa bill passes the House!
Exciting News!
Bipartisan bill H.R. 3012, also known as the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2011, overwhelmingly passed the House with 389 votes in favor! Now a vote from the Senate on companion bill S. 1857 is necessary for this bill to become law.
What will the bill do if it passes?
This bill addresses one very significant problem – the limits on the number of people who can immigrate legally from any one country – the “country caps.” The bill would eliminate the caps for employment-based visas (people who come here for a specific job), and raise the caps for family-based visas (people who come here to join family members.) The total number of family-based visas would not increase, but the number that could be allowed from any one country would increase.
Congress has heard testimony from family members of immigrants from some countries that have a 15 or 20 year waiting list, and from some employers who cannot bring over a particular high-skilled worker that they want to hire. This bill takes the necessary steps to ease the country-based restrictions that have frustrated and complicated the lives of people who try to enter the country legally, and people and businesses who need these particular immigrants here.
Read a blog post about H.R. 3012
Want more info? Look here...
Washington Post/Associated Press:
House votes to end country limits for skilled workers seeking green cards
Immigrantiondirect.com Report:
Eliminate Per-Country Green Card Caps
