Login With Google
U.S-New green card system
Why is it in news?
- U.S. President Donald Trump announced a proposal that will include significant changes to the way green cards are allocated- by reducing the number of family-based green cards and moving towards a points-based (“merit-based”) system.
More in news
- Merit-based system:(1) Mr. Trump’s new plan will dramatically increase the number of green cards that are given through the skills route versus the family-based route.(2) It will reward, among other factors, education, skills and English language proficiency.
- Security purpose: The plan is sought to boost border security and tighten asylum procedures.
- Indians majority:(1) A large majority (over 70%) of H1B visas, for skilled workers, went to Indians in fiscal year 2018.(2) Many of these are eventually converted to green cards. Indian residents getting green cards have been in the range of 57,000-62,000 in the 2015-2017 period.
- Proposed changes:(1) Currently about 12% of those receiving green cards entered the U.S. based on skill-based visas (such as the H1B), while some 66% are family-based green cards.(2) The new proposal will increase skills-based green cards to 57%.(3) New immigrants will have to show that they can financially support themselves and will need to pass a civics exam.
- Mixed implications: It is clear that a shift towards a points-based system will make the prospects of Indian skilled migrants wanting to settle in the U.S. easier but it will be more complicated for bringing family members over, especially elderly parents.
Source
The Hindu