PTC News Desk: In a significant move, a bipartisan deal backed by the White House unveils automatic work authorisation for around 100,000 H-4 visa holders, spouses, and children of specific H-1B visa holders.
The National Security Agreement addresses the concerns of H-1B visa holders' aged-out children. This development is a relief for Indian professionals waiting for Green Cards, allowing their spouses to work and protecting aged-out children from deportation.
The bill aims to reform the immigration system, reflecting President Joe Biden's commitment to fairness, security, and preserving legal immigration.
Know the details below:
The bipartisan deal grants automatic work authorisation to approximately 100,000 H-4 visa holders, spouses, and children of specific H-1B visa holders.
The National Security Agreement, a result of negotiations between Republican and Democratic leaders, addresses concerns of aged-out children of H-1B visa holders.
This decision brings relief to Indian professionals awaiting Green Cards, enabling their spouses to work and safeguarding aged-out children from deportation threats.
President Joe Biden emphasizes the need to fix the broken immigration system, ensuring safety, border security, fairness, and humane treatment while preserving legal immigration.
The bill offers protection to children of long-term H-1B visa holders against aging-out if they maintain H4 status for eight years.
It provides an additional 18,000 employment-based green cards per year for the next five years, easing the backlog.
The bill aims to expedite work permits, create family reunification opportunities, and ensure paid legal representation for vulnerable, unaccompanied young children.
For the first time in over 30 years, the bill raises the annual cap on immigrant visas, adding 250,000 visas over five years.
Of the additional visas, 160,000 will be family-based, and 90,000 will be employment-based, enhancing lawful pathways to the United States.
The legislation prioritizes family reunification, reduces time families spend apart, and provides US businesses access to additional workers.
The bill provides relief to over 250,000 individuals, including a significant number from India, who came to the US as children on their parents' work visas.
It allows non-citizens who lived lawfully in the US as dependent children of employment-based nonimmigrants for at least 8 years before turning 21 to remain temporarily with work authorisation.
The legislation supports family unity, allowing certain noncitizens to travel to the US on a temporary visitor visa to visit their family members.
The bill allocates resources to help US allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region address threats from an increasingly assertive China.
It includes USD 48.43 billion for continued US support to Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
The White House urges the US Congress to pass the bill swiftly, emphasizing the critical importance of maintaining focus on the Indo-Pacific and preserving peace and stability.
