As a nation of immigrants, the United States has always held a unique appeal for those around the world with intentions to immigrate. Obtaining a U.S. Green Card was once the aspiration of many. What we commonly refer to as a Green Card, or the United States Permanent Resident Card, is an identity document used to prove that a foreign national holds permanent resident status within the United States of America. Green Card holders enjoy immigration benefits granted by the U.S. government, including permission to reside and work in the U.S. conditionally. Except for the rights to vote and to be elected, Green Card holders generally enjoy the same treatment as U.S. citizens within the country.
To become a lawful permanent resident, one must reside in the United States as a permanent resident for a total of five years, or for three years if married to a U.S. citizen, and meet all conditions listed by the immigration authorities before applying for naturalization to become a U.S. citizen. Citizens possess more rights and obligations than permanent residents. These include the right to vote, the right to be elected in federal and state elections, visa-free convenience for travel to some countries, the ability to bring family members to the U.S., and eligibility for federal government positions.
Compared to countries in Western and Northern Europe, the welfare system in the United States may not be the best, but its appeal stems from the overall high standard of living and education, as well as an excellent investment environment. Immigrating to the United States, in addition to enjoying the treatment afforded to citizens of a developed nation, is important because the tolerance and vitality here give people more confidence.
Highly Developed Education
According to a survey by the International Organization for Migration, the level of education is one of the primary factors for some immigrants when choosing a destination country. The United States holds immense appeal in this regard.
As a recognized world power, the vast majority of Americans firmly believe that the nation's prosperity and strength are largely due to the universalization of national education. The concept of compulsory education for children has been promoted since the Civil War. After entering the 20th century, a consensus was reached in all U.S. states to popularize high school education, and the proportion of students pursuing higher education after high school graduation has steadily increased year by year. Currently, the United States implements an 11-12 year compulsory education system; most states require attendance until the age of 18, with only a few states still at 14. Children enter school between the ages of 5 and 7 and can choose to attend public schools, private schools, or home schools. Public and private schools are generally divided into three levels: elementary, middle, and high school. The university stage is also divided into public and private; although tuition is expensive, the coverage of student loans and scholarships is quite extensive, and most students can successfully complete their studies.
Currently, there are nearly 6 million university students in the United States, with millions more participating in various adult education courses. Taking 2007 statistics as an example, the high school graduation rate for adult U.S. citizens was 85%, the proportion of the population with a bachelor's degree or higher was 27%, 99% of the population over 15 years old had reading and writing skills, and the illiteracy rate was only 1%. In the United Nations' education index for various countries, the United States scored 99.9, ranking first in the world in comprehensive strength.
The extensive education plan makes the United States one of the countries with the highest number of educated people in the world. It is precisely on this solid and vast foundation that the level of scientific research in the United States has always been at the forefront of the world. As of 2009, a total of 320 Nobel laureates came from the United States, 75% of which were in scientific fields, ranking first in the world. At the same time, the U.S. government's budget for scientific research has steadily increased year by year since the 1970s. In addition to receiving government funding, university laboratories usually receive large amounts of funding from industrial and commercial enterprises for special research. U.S. universities often gather excellent professors and scientists from all over the world, with achievements in both theoretical research and practical application emerging one after another, maintaining a stable and lasting virtuous cycle in research investment and output.
In addition to educational resources, the sharing of public educational facilities in the United States is also very high. Today, there are more than 8,500 public libraries in the United States, as well as more than 2,800 college or university libraries open to the public. The vast majority of libraries have considerable collections and advanced equipment, which are indispensable auxiliary resources for popularizing adult continuing education.
What is most impressive is that learning in the United States is an "enjoy" process. A relaxed academic atmosphere and a strong thirst for knowledge are the norm in schools. Compared with the current state of education in China, the appeal is self-evident.
Continuously Improving Medical System
Most of the medical facilities and medical insurance in the United States are operated by the private sector. For a long time, whether they are U.S. citizens or foreign immigrants, they must purchase commercial medical insurance to cover part of the medical expenses. The U.S. government only provides auxiliary public medical insurance, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and health management for veterans. The World Health Organization (WHO) compared the medical quality of 191 member states in its 2000 World Health Report. The United States ranked at the top in terms of medical consumption and responsiveness, but the absolute value of per capita medical expenses and its proportion of GDP remain high, making it the country with the most expensive medical costs in the world.
This situation has begun a historic shift: after President Obama took office, in order to fulfill the key promises he made to voters during his presidential campaign, he called on Congress to pass legislation to reform the existing U.S. medical system. The initial draft of the healthcare reform bill passed in March 2010 included a government insurance plan, encouraging the public to make two-way choices and participate in public cooperative medical insurance. Its main purpose is to reduce insurance costs and improve the quality of public health protection, bringing every U.S. citizen into the government's medical insurance coverage. The plan includes both cuts in medical insurance spending and increases in the tax burden on insurance companies. This healthcare reform plan will take more than 10 years and involve $900 billion in funds.
However, regardless of whether there is universal health insurance, the expensive U.S. medical care is still deeply attractive. High medical expenses have effectively promoted the research and development of new medical techniques and medical products; the success rate of high-difficulty surgeries is quite high; new drugs are emerging one after another; and the Food and Drug Administration is effective in its enforcement, ensuring a high degree of drug safety. These various advantages have ensured that the United States remains the global leader in medical research.
The Best Choice for Investment Immigration
Although it has not yet completely shaken off the shadow of the financial crisis, the United States has always been a hot spot for global investors. To target overseas investment immigrants, U.S. immigration law established the EB-5 investment immigration program in 1992. Investing $1 million anywhere in the United States and creating at least ten jobs; investing $500,000 in a nationally recognized low-employment area and creating at least ten jobs; or investing $500,000 in a government-approved "Regional Center"—as long as one of these three investment actions is chosen, the investor can obtain a Green Card. It is the most convenient channel among all U.S. immigration categories with the shortest approval time and the fewest qualification restrictions.
In early 2010, the U.S. Congress introduced a revised EB-5 investment immigration program, relaxing investment methods and stating that it would increase the actual issuance rate of the 10,000 annual quotas (from 1994 to 2004, in 10 years, out of 100,000 investment immigration quotas, the U.S. immigration authorities only issued 6,024, an average of only about 500 per year).
The advantages of the U.S. EB-5 program are very obvious: the processing cycle is short, and investors do not need to start a business; except for the need to prove the legitimacy of the source of funds, there are no restrictions on the investor's education, language, or business background; the investor's spouse and unmarried children under 21 can obtain a Green Card and can choose to settle in any region of the United States, can freely enter and exit the United States, have no immigration jail, and enjoy the benefits of local residents; investors can apply for naturalization 5 years after obtaining a Green Card to obtain U.S. citizenship.
Moreover, more importantly, the "Regional Center" projects supported by policy preferences have all undergone a strict review process, and the safety of investment funds can be guaranteed to the greatest extent.
Changes in U.S. Immigration Policy
As a country composed almost entirely of the descendants of immigrants, the United States only gradually formed a civilized, modern concept of immigration policy in the last century. In 1917, the United States once closed its borders to immigrants from Asian countries, but after decades of change and several amendments to immigration law, it has finally evolved into the situation it is today.
