US grants 100K work permits to H-1B families, eases strain on Indian-American immigrants

PTC News Desk: In a significant move, a bipartisan deal backed by the White House unveils automatic work authorisation for around 100,000 H-4 visa holders, spouses, and children of specific H-1B visa holders.

The National Security Agreement addresses the concerns of H-1B visa holders' aged-out children. This development is a relief for Indian professionals waiting for Green Cards, allowing their spouses to work and protecting aged-out children from deportation.

The bill aims to reform the immigration system, reflecting President Joe Biden's commitment to fairness, security, and preserving legal immigration.

Know the details below:

• The bipartisan deal grants automatic work authorisation to approximately 100,000 H-4 visa holders, spouses, and children of specific H-1B visa holders.
• The National Security Agreement, a result of negotiations between Republican and Democratic leaders, addresses concerns of aged-out children of H-1B visa holders.
• This decision brings relief to Indian professionals awaiting Green Cards, enabling their spouses to work and safeguarding aged-out children from deportation threats.
• President Joe Biden emphasizes the need to fix the broken immigration system, ensuring safety, border security, fairness, and humane treatment while preserving legal immigration.
• The bill offers protection to children of long-term H-1B visa holders against aging-out if they maintain H4 status for eight years.
• It provides an additional 18,000 employment-based green cards per year for the next five years, easing the backlog.
• The bill aims to expedite work permits, create family reunification opportunities, and ensure paid legal representation for vulnerable, unaccompanied young children.
• For the first time in over 30 years, the bill raises the annual cap on immigrant visas, adding 250,000 visas over five years.
• Of the additional visas, 160,000 will be family-based, and 90,000 will be employment-based, enhancing lawful pathways to the United States.
• The legislation prioritizes family reunification, reduces time families spend apart, and provides US businesses access to additional workers.
• The bill provides relief to over 250,000 individuals, including a significant number from India, who came to the US as children on their parents' work visas.
• It allows non-citizens who lived lawfully in the US as dependent children of employment-based nonimmigrants for at least 8 years before turning 21 to remain temporarily with work authorisation.
• The legislation supports family unity, allowing certain noncitizens to travel to the US on a temporary visitor visa to visit their family members.
• The bill allocates resources to help US allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region address threats from an increasingly assertive China.
• It includes USD 48.43 billion for continued US support to Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
• The White House urges the US Congress to pass the bill swiftly, emphasizing the critical importance of maintaining focus on the Indo-Pacific and preserving peace and stability.

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  (Inputs from agencies)