macjoubert
Registered Users (C)
According to the Shusterman newsletter, the Senate will debate the SKILL bill portion of the CIR sometime this week or the next.
Sections of the SKILL bill are anathema to the public and anyone supporting it will certainly face the wrath of their constituents. The sad thing is many Americans broadly associate CIR with illegal immigrant amnesty which is not the case. There are provisions for hardworking skilled immigrants to get permanent residency. Sadly this gets swallowed in the greater puddle of illegal immigration.
Key portions of the SKILL that might get tacit approval,like persons with advanced degrees (in selected areas like Engg, Technology,Math and Science) are exempt from immigrant visa caps, much faster processing for such persons, students get 2 yrs on OPT, increasing the visas for immigrants to 290,000 among other things.
There is another provision to increase H1-Bs , this is proving to undermine the whole bill as no one wants to touch that topic. Its definitely a hot bed issue that can win or lose an election. Case in point George Allen , one of the sponsors and an advocate of H1-B increase was defeated by Jim Webb in VA.
The good news is that this time around John McCain and Ted Kennedy are sponsoring the bill which has also been lent some weight by Bill Gates who actively supports making it easier for Masters Degree holders to get permanent residency.
OTOH sites like Murthy and this one state that times ahead will be gloomy for the EB folks.
This whole process is a very difficult testament for all, and all of us are investing so much in this country.
Sections of the SKILL bill are anathema to the public and anyone supporting it will certainly face the wrath of their constituents. The sad thing is many Americans broadly associate CIR with illegal immigrant amnesty which is not the case. There are provisions for hardworking skilled immigrants to get permanent residency. Sadly this gets swallowed in the greater puddle of illegal immigration.
Key portions of the SKILL that might get tacit approval,like persons with advanced degrees (in selected areas like Engg, Technology,Math and Science) are exempt from immigrant visa caps, much faster processing for such persons, students get 2 yrs on OPT, increasing the visas for immigrants to 290,000 among other things.
There is another provision to increase H1-Bs , this is proving to undermine the whole bill as no one wants to touch that topic. Its definitely a hot bed issue that can win or lose an election. Case in point George Allen , one of the sponsors and an advocate of H1-B increase was defeated by Jim Webb in VA.
The good news is that this time around John McCain and Ted Kennedy are sponsoring the bill which has also been lent some weight by Bill Gates who actively supports making it easier for Masters Degree holders to get permanent residency.
OTOH sites like Murthy and this one state that times ahead will be gloomy for the EB folks.
This whole process is a very difficult testament for all, and all of us are investing so much in this country.