For many industries, immigrant workers play a key role as it provides the opportunity for qualified individuals to work in certain necessary jobs. This allows the tech industry in the United States to remain competitive, yet the country could be losing its standing as a tech leader to a significant backlog of green card applications. Immigration is critical to several areas of the Louisiana and U.S. economy.
Resolving a backlog problem
The immigration system in the United States is struggling to deal with a significant backlog of visa applications that accumulated during the pandemic. Immigration offices were closed, and there was a virtual halt in processing many applications for a significant amount of time. Leaders in the tech industry say that it is critical to ease the backlog as many major companies are in need of qualified workers.
Specifically, Google depends on green card applicants to bring scientists, leading thinkers and software engineers to the company. In addition to processing delays brought about by the pandemic, some of the backlog may be related to immigration restrictions put into place by the Trump Administration. Estimates suggest that of the 262,000 employment-based green cards available, 66,500 went unused due to a processing backlog.
Help for the immigration process
Securing a green card is a difficult process. The challenges of the U.S. immigration system are exacerbated by the green card processing backlog, and an applicant will benefit from seeking experienced guidance at each step. It might be prudent to seek the assistance of a Louisiana immigration attorney before proceeding.