US legislators back removal of cap on green card access

A bipartisan group of US legislators has voiced support for removing the per-country cap on employment-based green cards, a move that would significantly reduce the backlog for applicants from countries such as India. The current system limits the number of green cards issued to individuals from any single country to 7 percent of the total annual allocation.

The lawmakers argue that the cap is outdated and harms US competitiveness by forcing highly skilled workers to wait decades for permanent residency. Supporters of the change say it would help retain talent educated at US universities and working in critical industries like technology and healthcare.

Opponents of the cap removal have raised concerns about potential impacts on diversity, arguing that without the limit, applicants from a few large countries would dominate the green card pool. However, proponents counter that the current system already creates inequities and that a merit-based approach would better serve the national interest.

Legislation to eliminate the per-country cap has been introduced in previous sessions of Congress but has not advanced. The renewed push comes amid ongoing debates over immigration reform and the need to address labor shortages in key sectors.