Changes in Senate's Immigration Reform Bill (1) 參議院移民制度改革法案的措施 (1)

The Senate has issued an outline of its comprehensive immigration reform bill today.  In the 17-page outline, a few pages talk about reforms on the current legal immigration system.  The following are some of the key changes:

 

1. Preference categories in family-based immigration will be reduced from four to two: unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents and married children of U.S. citizens.  Moreover, married children of U.S. citizens must apply before they turn 31.

 

2. U.S. citizens will not be able to apply for their brothers and sisters but this category will be repealed 18 months after the bill is enacted.

 

3. Spouse and unmarried children of legal permanent residents will no longer be subject to an annual quota.

 

4. Diversity visa/lottery will be abolished.

 

5. EB-1, persons holding doctorate degree, and certain physicians will no longer be subject to an annual quota.

 

6. More visa numbers will be assigned to certain existing EB-2 and EB-3 applicants. 

 

7. A new visa will be available to those who would set up a new company in the U.S.

 

8. A merit-based system will be introduced.  Merits will be given based on education, employment, length in the U.S., etc.

 

Disclaimer: Information included in this page does not constitute as legal advice and receipt of this page does not establish attorney-client relationship. For specific inquiries, please call my office and schedule an appointment.

 

參議院今天公佈了移民改革法案的摘要。在此十七頁的摘要中，有數頁提到對現有的親屬及工作移民制度的改革措施。以下是幾個比較重大的改革:

1. 受配額限制的親屬移民類別由現有的四類減至兩類。只有公民及綠卡的未婚成年子女以及公民巳婚的成年子女。再者，公民的已婚子女必須於年滿31歲前申請。

2. 公民不能再為兄弟姊妹申請，但此類別會在法案成為法律十八個月後才會被取消。

3. 綠卡持有人的配偶及未成年子女不再受配額限制。

4. 多元化抽籤移民類別會被取消。

5. EB-1，擁有博士學位，及某些醫生不再受配額限制。

6. 增加配額給部份現有EB-2及EB-3類別。

7. 增設新簽證類別給在美國創業的企業家。

8. 在簽發簽證時會加設績分制。績分會跟據學歷，工作，在美時間等考慮而分發。

 

以上資料僅供參考之用，並非法律意見。如有個別問題，請致電本所查詢。