When it comes to immigration to the United States, from the Chinese laborers of the last century to the recent third wave of immigration, it has undoubtedly been a major hub for absorbing global capital and talent. However, since Donald Trump took office, immigration policies have been gradually tightened, and his "America First" policy has drawn criticism from all walks of life. Recently, regarding the H-1B visa program, which has been in effect since 1990, Trump has repeatedly raised the requirements. During the Obama administration, a decree was issued stating that starting in 2015, foreign nationals holding H-1B visas could have their spouses, i.e., H-4 holders, work in the United States while waiting for their green cards.
However, the latest news indicates that Trump plans to abolish the work authorization for H-4 holders! This news has dealt a severe blow to many immigration applicants, as the majority of H-1B holders are professional technical personnel—what we often refer to as skilled immigrants. Among these skilled immigrants, very few are extremely wealthy, so the ability of a spouse to work and earn an income is a significant supplement for the family.
According to statistics, in recent years, approximately 100,000 spouses and children of H-1B holders have resided in the United States annually through H-4 visas. From October 2015 to September 2016, a total of 41,526 H-4 holders obtained legal work permits, while the remaining nearly 60,000 "spouses" did not enjoy such work opportunities.
We can imagine that if the issuance of work authorization to H-4 visa holders is stopped, foreign technical personnel in the United States will be the most severely affected. As is well known, Silicon Valley has always been a gathering place for the world's advanced technical talent. For those in the region who rely heavily on H-1B visa holders, this will bring various inconveniences to their spouses and children and will also have a direct impact on their income.
Previously, Jeff Sessions, the Attorney General in President Trump's immigration team, stated when he was a Senator: "Allowing H-4 visa holders to work in the U.S. is changing immigration law and, more importantly, depriving Americans of job opportunities." But facts have proven that it is precisely these elite individuals who immigrated to the U.S. via the H-1B visa route whose tireless efforts have kept the U.S. economy and technology at the forefront of the world.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Google's new CEO Sundar Pichai are both foreign talents who immigrated to the U.S. via the H-1B visa. Although they are leaders in emerging technology in the U.S. and globally, they would not have been as successful as they are today without a relaxed immigration environment and a good platform for development.
According to CNBC reports, there is only a little over a month left in 2017, but international students who graduated in the U.S. this year, found jobs, and applied for H-1B visas are still waiting for visa approval, and it remains unclear when they will be issued. Many may face the prospect of having to return to their home countries or find other ways to stay if they cannot obtain their visas before they expire.
As is well known, the H-1B visa is a specialty occupation/temporary work visa, and H-4 dependent visa holders are the spouses or children of H-1B work visa holders. Currently, on a global scale, a relatively high proportion of U.S. H-1B technical immigrants and their dependent H-4 visa holders come from the Greater China region.
However, since taking office, Trump has frequently "targeted" immigration and visa policies, causing the threshold and review intensity for initial H-1B visa applications to tighten continuously, which is already adding insult to injury for H-1B visa holders who need to use their work visas to continue working in the U.S. Now, with the plan to abolish H-4 work rights, this is another heavy blow for middle-class individuals who are striving to stay in the U.S. Canceling spousal work visas undoubtedly increases the financial burden on middle-class families.
Under such circumstances, where does their family's American Dream go from here! In fact, for immigrating to the U.S., the EB-5 investment immigration program is an excellent way. The application conditions are relaxed, there are no language requirements, the capital investment is relatively low, the funds are refundable, and there is no "immigration jail" for the green card. More importantly, one person applies, the whole family immigrates, enjoying the generous benefits of the U.S. and providing children with world-class education.
Mentioning EB-5 investment immigration, everyone might be worried about the visa backlog issue, but it is a pleasant surprise that an EB-5 project with the potential to shorten the waiting period—Manhattan No. 9—will be launched with a bang, ready to be snapped up for a quick green card. Immigrating to the U.S., priority opportunity, do not miss it! Quotas are scarce, act fast to purchase. Internal quota purchase hotline: 400-138-2929.
