Should we remove per-country limits for employment-based immigration?
Bill Summary
This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) eliminate the per country numerical cap for employment-based immigrants, and (2) increase the per country numerical cap for family based immigrants from 7% to 15% of the total number of family-sponsored visas. This bill also amends the Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992 to eliminate the provision requiring the reduction of annual Chinese immigrant visas. Sponsor: Rep. Chaffetz, Jason [R-UT-3], with 53 Democratic and 34 Republican Cosponsors
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Opponents say
• No one is arguing for a return to the country-of-origin quota system that was law from 1921 to 1965, and which favored European immigrants. However, per-country ceilings are necessary to restrain the dominance of high-demand countries and to preserve the diversity of new immigrants.
• Removing these per-country caps will make it harder for workers from less populous nations to emigrate, since it will make obtaining a U.S. employment visa more competitive by increasing the number of total applicants.
• Removing these per-country caps will make it harder for workers from less populous nations to emigrate, since it will make obtaining a U.S. employment visa more competitive by increasing the number of total applicants.
Proponents say
• The per-country ceilings are arbitrary and discriminatory; country caps should not be applied to employment-based preference categories.
• Eliminating per-country caps will increase the flow of high-skilled immigrants by reducing the waiting time for highly skilled workers from any one country, ensuring that the United States continues to attract the “best and brightest” workers and remains competitive in a global market.
• This bill will not increase the total annual admission of employment based lawful permanent residents, and under federal law employers are prohibited from hiring foreign workers unless there is a shortage of qualified and available U.S. workers.
• Eliminating per-country caps will increase the flow of high-skilled immigrants by reducing the waiting time for highly skilled workers from any one country, ensuring that the United States continues to attract the “best and brightest” workers and remains competitive in a global market.
• This bill will not increase the total annual admission of employment based lawful permanent residents, and under federal law employers are prohibited from hiring foreign workers unless there is a shortage of qualified and available U.S. workers.
