Washington, May 11 (His). There has been an initiative to change the H-1B visa system in America. The ruling Democratic Party has introduced the American Citizenship Act in the US Parliament. This bill is being considered as a relief for Indians living in America and immigrants from other countries.
After the passage of the American Citizenship Act-2023 presented in the US Parliament by Democratic Party MP Linda Sanchez, thousands of Indians working in the technology sector here are also said to be getting its benefits. The passage of the bill in both Houses of Parliament and the enactment of the law after President Biden’s signature will open the way for millions of people living in the country without documents and coming legally to get American citizenship.
In this bill, a roadmap has been prepared for all 1.1 crore undocumented immigrants who dream of getting US citizenship. It also seeks to grant citizenship to undocumented immigrants who have lived in the US for five years, pass a background check and pay taxes, without fear of deportation.
Under this bill, employment-based pending visas will be approved in the US. Visa limits on each country will also be removed and waiting times will be reduced. The bill also seeks to make it easier for holders of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degrees from US universities to immigrate to the US.
It is noteworthy that India accounts for the largest number of students taking admission in American universities for degrees in STEM subjects. Also to improve access to green cards for low-wage workers in industries, allow dependents of H-1B holders to work, and prevent children of H-1B holders from being left out of the system is included.
The Citizenship Act proposes reforms to the family-based immigration system to keep families together while eliminating the backlog by reacquiring visas from previous years. It includes spouses and children of green card holders as immediate family members and calls for increasing per-country quotas for family-based immigration.
