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What is the News?
The United States(US) administration has introduced the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 in Congress. If passed, this act will benefit thousands of Indian IT professionals in America.
Key Provisions of the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021
- It proposes to eliminate the per-country cap for employment-based green cards.
- It proposes a pathway to citizenship to 11 million undocumented workers.
- Furthermore, it proposes to increase the annual limit of Employment-based green cards limit from 140,000 per year to 170,000 per year.
- It provides work authorization for dependents of H-1B foreign workers.
Beneficiaries of the act:
- The proposed act would give citizenship to millions of foreign nationals. Undocumented workers and migrants will benefit from this bill.
- Those waiting for a green card for more than 10 years would get the legal permanent residency immediately. It is because they would be exempted from the visa cap.
- Thousands of Indian IT professionals are waiting for green cards. They are likely to be the biggest beneficiaries of the bill.
What is a Green card and H1B Visa?
- Green Card: It is an identification card. It gives the status of a permanent resident along with legal rights to work in the USA.
- H-1B visa: It is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers on the basis of theoretical or technical expertise. Dependents of H-1B visa holders get H-4 visas.
Source: The Hindu
