Backlog estimates - 260K principals; 539K with dependents
Guys and Gals
Please find enclosed an EXCEL spreadsheet which shows estimates of GC backlog.
The numbers are scary. I am prepared to further enhance/ fintune the calculations based on your inputs. Also, if you think, I have made any fundamental errors, let me know. This is what I have done:
1) I have started with FACTS - mostly relying on USCIS/ Department of Homeland Security. The key facts considered were:
ACTUAL number of H-1B and L-1 people ADMITTED into USA from India - I did not consider H-1B approvals as folks actually coming in may be delayed (e.g. 2002 H-1B approval person may enter in 2003). Between 1999 and 2004,
631,518 people on H-1B and L-1 entered USA from India.
2) Based on ACTUAL LPRs (Legal permanent residents information related by Dept of Homeland Security for 2004), I calaculated the principal to dependent ratio and arrive at a "dependent factor", which needs to be multiplied to factor for the actual number of GC aspirants.
The dependent factor come to 2.07.
3) Next I calculated the level of GC aspirants. This was calculated as follows:
Total number of H-1B & L-1 multiplied by dependent factor less people who went back to India - this number I assumed to a very high figure of 25% i.e. 1 in 4 H-1B/L-1 person returned home. This gaves us
982,150 GC aspirants in the same time period - 1999 to 2004
4) As we all know, a persons GC process is not started immediately. therefore, I created a "distribution" matrix where I assumed the following distribution - Year 1: 10%, Year 2: 30%, Year 3: 40%, Year 4: 15% and Year 5: 5% i.e. for example, of all the people who were admitted in US in say 2000, 10% of those folks had their GC process started in 2000, 30% in 2001, 40% in 2002, 15% in 2003 and finally 5% in 2004. This way, within 5 years, all GC aspirants would have convinced their employers to file thier application; within the first 3 years, 80% would have initiated their GC process.
This distribution matrix shows about 86% of the folks between 1999 to 2004 would have started their GC process by 2005.
5) I have assumed EB2: EB3 proportion as 29%:71% based on inputs on this thread by Akela and others.
6) Next, I searched to obtain authentic data about actual labor filing and I-140 filings. I could not find those and therefore had to do without them, but it did not hamper calculations much. (If someone can help, I am willing to update this sheet)
7) Finally, I key fact about the
ACTUAL I-485 adjudicated by USCIS for folks form India. They have
approved 161,783 cases from 1999 to 2004.
8) All the above data was used to calculate the BACKLOG figures.
539,020 GC aspirants still waiting i.e. nearly 63% are waiting.
It should be noted that the Backlog can be at any stage - Labor; I-140; I-485.
These calculations seems to suggest that it would have been possible for the EB2 cases to be current till Oct 2005.
Also, I have added 17 sheets (in the EXCEL file) of ACTUAL data that I downloaded from USCIS/ Dept of Homeland Security Website. Please feel free to review them.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Regards
GCStrat