Many of you have dreams to work in the USA. The 2 current options for long duration are HB-1 Visa & Green Card. Now the Green Card Visa will be replaced by the new law of immigration. The result – new visa call Build America Visa as called by President Donald Trump. Let us see what is Build America Visa, its guidelines & its impact on Indian NRIs, who wish to work for a long time or settle in the USA.
Build America Visa will replace the famous Green Card Visa. Green Card visa is given to around 11 lakhs foreign nationals every year allowing them to work and live in the USA. It is the first step of permanent residency as after 5 years of green card visa you can apply for US citizenships.
But now the USA is changing the system, and replace this with something called Build America Visa. This visa has a point system. That means conditions to be met. More conditions are met more is your score. If you reach the threshold, you get the visa.
It means random selections based on sponsorships & affiliation to certain communities/countries will stop. Currently, out of 11 Lakhs 66% of applications are from relatives of existing citizens. This point based system is already followed by Canada, Australia & New Zealand.
The present US Visa system
Currently, the US allows visa under 4 heads:
- Refugee Visas
- Diversity Visas (Mexicans, Indians & Chinese not allowed to apply as they are in abundance relative to population)
- Family-Based Immigration – Huge Line as last 10 years Indian’s, Europeans, Japanese & Chinese want their piece.
- Employment-Based Visa (now will be point based & will be replaced by Build America Visa)
In the words of Donald Trump – “We cherish the open door that we want to create for our country, but a big proportion of those immigrants must come in through merit and skills”… What merits & Skills?
Now, what will be the points under Build America Visa?
It includes Demographics like age. Younger the better.
The focus will be what qualifications and skills you have. If you have advanced education, it will increase points.
Do you have a job offer in hand?
Experience of work will be another crucial point. Bad news for fresher.
Are you financially self-sufficient (not dependents on parent’s money or assets)? Have net worth or assets of your own.
Do you plan to join the existing American workforce want to be job provider? Do you have resources and plan to start a business in the US?
Are you proficient in English? There will be an exam now so that English speaking and understanding immigrants are granted stay visa.
Clearly, it focuses on the applicant’s contribution to American land & people. It will be based on merit and not recommendations.
First of all, their focus is high skilled applicants and low wages/entry level jobs as they want these jobs to be retained by American People. The current ratio of high skills will go up from 12% to 57%.
Family of the existing citizen will be given less priority. In fact, the current system gives this highest importance.
If you are willing to start a business or startup you will have a better chance to get the Build America Visa. Trump Administration loves the word “job creation”.
Benefits to NRIs
Around 3.5 Lakhs of Indians are pending to be granted Green Card VISA. Since there is a huge waiting list, currently it takes 10 years to get a green card in the US. So the majority of Indians who are in the US are on H-1B visa will get benefitted as they are comparatively more qualified, skilled & entrepreneurs.
Build India Visa point system favors Indians, as Indians are well educated & have work inclination.
Points against Build America Visa system
This new regulation will also hamper existing VISA applicants who have waited and applied based on family ties. For Eg, an Indian born working in Pepsico is trying to get his family to move with him. But the wife is non-skilled & kids too small. They will have face difficulties now. They might need to withdraw or modify the application.
The Build America visa is just announced and it has to go through the process of approval in Congress. I will update as I get more concrete news on this new enactment.
Do share your views, in the comments section below.
