Des Moines Register
July 23, 2012
Last November the U.S. House of Representatives came together in a rare bipartisan moment to overwhelmingly pass the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Ia., placed a hold on the bill in the Senate until July 11, which means that the Senate will soon debate this much-needed reform.
Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants would streamline the issuance of green cards to skilled professionals and investors seeking U.S. residency. The current rule allows only 7 percent of employment-based green cards to be allotted to immigrants from any one country — creating an enormous backlog for skilled immigrants from India, China and the Philippines. The Fairness act would eliminate the per-country limit and decrease wait times.
