Good news for Indian students, new US bill to support 'merit-based' immigration

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Washington: In what can be called as a good news for Indians, President Donald Trump recently announced his support for a legislation that would cut in half the number legal immigrants allowed into the US while moving to a 'merit-based'system favouring English-speaking skilled workers for residency cards.If passed by the Congress and signed into law, the legislation titled the Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment (RAISE) Act could benefit highly-educated and technology professionals from countries like India.

The RAISE Act would scrap the current lottery system to get into the US and instead institute a points-based system for earning a green card. Factors that would be taken into account include English language skills, education, high- paying job offers and age.

While announcing his support to the RAISE "The RAISE Act will reduce poverty, increase wages, and save taxpayers billions and billions of dollars. It will do this by changing the way the US issues Green Cards to nationals from other countries. Green Cards provide permanent residency, work authorisation, and fast track to citizenship."

Trump said the RAISE Act ends chain migration and replaces the low-skilled system with a new points-based system for receiving a Green Card.

This competitive application process will favour applicants who can speak English, financially support themselves and their families, and demonstrate skills that will contribute to our economy, he said, adding that the RAISE Act prevents new migrants and new immigrants from collecting welfare, and protects US workers from being displaced.

"That's a very big thing. They’re not going to come in and just immediately go and collect welfare. That doesn't happen under the RAISE Act. They can’t do that. Crucially, the Green Card reforms in the RAISE Act will give American workers a pay raise by reducing unskilled immigration," he said.