GOP advances bill to help China, India tech grads

But is the 'Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act' really fair?

October 28, 2011 12:31 PM ET

WASHINGTON - A key House committee this week approved a Republican-sponsored high-skill immigration bill intended to help advanced degree holders in India and China get green cards to work in the U.S.

The bill, advanced by the House Judiciary Committee, eliminates per-country limits without changing the overall cap. The limits have created long wait times for applicants in countries where the demand for green cards is high. The bill needs action by the full House and Senate before it can reach President Obama's desk.

The federal government sets a cap of 140,000 employment-based green cards a year, with no more than 7% from any single country. Because demand is highest for advanced degree holders from India and China, the per-country cap has meant delays for residents of those two nations of at least four years for a green card. By contrast, people from most other countries with advanced degrees have little wait.

The per-country caps will be eliminated if the bill, the "Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act" (H.R. 3012), becomes law. But what may be called fair by some, isn't seen as such by others.

More: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9221292/GOP_advances_bill_to_help_China_India_tech_grads

the US this would not be a problem. I recall well in hi-tech when we off-shored sw dev and the CEO comment was more skilled dev engineers were off-shore. That, was a F'en lie. The reason it was off-shored was to cut labor costs, pure and simple. And now those with green cards to work in the US work for cheaper rates. I know that for a fact, I've worked with them. I've just lost patience with this BS anymore.