The US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced regulatory changes that will alter processing priorities for employment-based green card applications, affecting an estimated 1.2 million individuals currently waiting in visa backlogs. Applicants from India and China face the most significant delays due to per-country limits that can stretch wait times to decades under current demand levels.
Immigration attorneys report widespread confusion among clients about how the new rules affect their specific cases. Tech industry groups have warned that prolonged uncertainty about immigration status discourages highly skilled workers from accepting US employment offers, potentially driving talent to Canada, Australia, and EU nations with more predictable pathways to permanent residency.
