On Wednesday, April 6, the House Judiciary Committee advanced the EAGLE Act of 2022. This bill eliminates the per-country cap for employment visas and increases the per-country cap for family visas. This bill also grants backlogged applicants expanded travel rights and flexibility to switch employers.
The US Government issues a limited number of green cards each year through the employment-based and family-based categories. Still, only 7% of green cards under each category can go to applicants from a single country in a given year. This green card cap has resulted in decades-long backlogs for applicants from high-demand countries, such as China and India.
The EAGLE Act has 81 House cosponsors, including 8 Republican lawmakers. While corresponding legislation has not been introduced in the Senate yet, both chambers of Congress have previously passed legislation to remove the per-country green card limits as recently as 2019.
Erickson Insights
Following the failed immigration provisions of the Build Back Better bill, the EAGLE Act attempts to advance immigration legislation through regular order and with bipartisan support.
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to share updates as more news is available. If you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions, please contact your EIG attorney.