1M+ Skilled: Recent data from the U.S. government highlights a concerning reality: more than one million Indians are currently caught in the complexities of employment-based immigration backlogs.
This staggering figure, disclosed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, paints a vivid picture of the challenges faced by highly skilled Indian professionals seeking permanent residency, commonly referred to as green cards.
1M+ Skilled Indians..
The primary factors contributing to these prolonged waits are the per-country limits and low annual quotas. For many, the wait spans potentially decades, disrupting personal lives and hindering America’s ability to attract and retain top talent.
According to insights from a Forbes report, a study conducted by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) using USCIS data indicates that as of November 2, 2023, over 1.2M Indians, including dependents, are mired in the top three employment-based green card categories.
Alarming projections indicate that without Congressional intervention, the backlog could worsen significantly.
A 2020 report by the Congressional Research Service estimated that by 2030, the backlog for Indians in these categories could swell to over 2.1M individuals, with clearance potentially taking nearly two centuries.
Indians are disproportionately affected by these immigration provisions. Despite the robust demand for technical talent in the U.S., only a fraction of Indian immigrants have secured employment-based green cards in recent years due to the constraints imposed by the per-country limit.
As the backlog persists, advocacy for reform becomes increasingly urgent to address the systemic barriers hindering the aspirations of highly skilled Indian professionals and their contributions to the American workforce.
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