DNA Explainer: Why Indians might have to wait 195 years for US Green Card

Because of the recent layoffs at companies like Amazon, Meta, Twitter, and Lyft, among others, Indians might now have to wait up to 195 years for a US Green Card. The Layoffs in 2022 have impacted the Indian community, especially the ones who were employed through their H-1B visas.

Now, after the layoffs, anyone with an H-1B Visa is now on the hunt to find a job in the next 60 days, or they would be required to leave the country.

After a contract is terminated, the H-1B visa holders can stay legally in the United States for up to 60 days, as per US Immigration Laws. After the 60 days are over, visa holders will either have to find a new employer who will sponsor their Visa or go back home. 

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According to a report in Bloomberg, tech companies like Amazon, Twitter, Meta, and Lyft have sponsored close to 45,000 H-1B visas over the past 3 years and the recent layoffs have proved to be disadvantageous for around 350 immigrants.

Now, based on the data given by the Congressional Report on the Employment-Based Immigration Backlog, dated March 26, 2020, Indians may have to wait for 195 years to become a permanent residents of the United States i.e. get a US Green Card. 

Why the wait of 195 years for the US Green Card?

The US Congressional Report in 2020 says that the wait time to obtain a US Green Card would increase as the Indians living in the US tend to be on a temporary visa for a longer time due to already existing backlogs in getting US PR, as opposed to other foreign communities.

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Speaking about the same, Republican US Senator, Mike Lee, had said, "Someone from India entering the backlog today would have to wait 195 years to receive an EB-3 green card. Even if we give their children this limbo status, none of them will have a prayer of becoming a US citizen." 

The law of the country states that the US can only give around 7 percent of people a Green Card based on their employment. The report also says that close to half a million Indians were already in the queue for a green card and the US has only 10,000 Green cards to offer per year. Therefore, the wait time is increasing. As of now, the wait time to obtain a US Green Card is reported to be around 195 years.