Meanwhile, controversy erupted when SpaceX owner Elon Musk said there was a need for H-1B visa reform. Do you know what an H-1B visa issued by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is? How important is this for Indians and America? Does it really need improvement? I know everything.
What is the H-1B visa and why is it important?
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa. It allows highly skilled foreign professionals to work in certain occupations in the United States. These professions require at least a bachelor’s degree. The largest number of applications for this visa come in fields such as technology, engineering, mathematics and medical sciences.
When did the H-1B visa program start?
The H-1B visa program was created in 1990 to assist employers whose needs cannot be met by the U.S. workforce. That’s why they were allowed to temporarily hire qualified foreigners. H-1B visas are initially issued for 3 years, and can be extended for a maximum of 6 years. The visa holder is then required to leave the United States for a minimum of 12 months before returning or applying for and obtaining permanent residency (green card).
Indians also go to America to visit
For those who like to visit different cities, America has introduced the H1-B visa, with which they can stay in America for 3 years and travel here. According to information, the largest number of Indians in America live in California and the second in New York, followed by a large number of Indians in New Jersey and Texas. According to statistics, more than 35 thousand Indians live in America.
185 types of visas are issued to visitors and students.
America issues about 185 types of visas. Among these, visitor visa and student visa are important. The F-1 visa is for full-time students, while the M-1 visa is for business students. Work visas such as H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, and L-1 visas. These visas are intended for those who wish to work in America for a limited period of time.
Approval granted for many applications, find out here
In fiscal year 2023, USCIS approved 1,18,948 petitions for initial employment and 2,67,370 petitions for regular employment. People seeking employment at institutions of higher education, non-profit affiliates of such institutions, non-profit research organizations, or government research organizations are also eligible for an exemption from this limit.
Who are the biggest beneficiaries of the H-1B program?
People born in India are the largest beneficiaries of the H-1B program. US government data shows that Indians account for more than 70% of all H-1B applications approved each year since 2015. Those born in China rank second, with an increase of between 12 and 13% since 2018. It is the dominance of Indians that has attracted Attention nationalist Republicans from the MAGA movement, who advocated hiring Mexicans and Central Americans. In this regard, the Indian people are far ahead of China.
12 thousand Indians are waiting for green card
It has been many years since the 12,000 Indians working in America applied for a green card, but even now they are disappointed. Their waiting period is increasing. Their dependents were also included in these 12 lakh Indians. These mostly include professors, researchers, executives and managers in multinational companies, IT professionals, etc. This was featured in a Forbes report.
What is a green card, and is it the path to an H-1B?
Anyone with a green card in America gets legitimacy to settle there permanently or live and work there. In fact, USCIS issues a permanent resident card, commonly called a green card, to a person for permanent residence. This is the way forward for the H-1B, because it allows people working in America to settle there permanently.
Who can get a US green card?
Spouses, parents, children and siblings of US citizens and permanent residents may be eligible for a family green card. People who do not have a US citizen spouse are also eligible. You must be a US citizen in order for your parents to live in the United States as green card holders. You must also be at least 21 years old.
Will it take 200 years to get a green card?
If the US Parliament does not intervene quickly in this matter, the numbers of Indians will increase day by day. According to Congressional Research Service estimates, by 2030, the number of Indians working in America and waiting for green cards will exceed 21,000. It would take about 200 years for them all to get green cards.
The share is only 7 percent per country, and Indians are also in tension
According to the USCIS, about 12,000 Indians have been on the waiting list for years to get a US green card. The reason for this is that in America, the maximum limit for green cards is determined according to each country, and the annual quota is also very less. As per US law, the annual cap for issuance of employment-based green cards is 1,40,000. Apart from this, there is only 7 percent quota for each country. The consequences are borne by highly skilled young people in densely populated countries such as India and China.
Is this a source of tension for Indians?
no. There will be opportunities for Indian professionals as before. Even after Trump arrives, there will not be any major change in American policies, because American companies and foreign companies operating in America will still need to hire skilled foreign workers. America’s workforce is expensive and there isn’t enough of it. In such a situation, the need for foreign workers like Indians will always exist. However, Indian professionals are far ahead in areas such as the IT sector, research and healthcare. In such a situation, their need will always remain.