The current state of employment-based immigration

Many workers dream of coming to the United States to live and work. Some want to live in safety and seek opportunities in Louisiana for security and stability for their families. Others who have specific skills may seek to come and work for employers who need to fill highly specialized roles. There are several visa types for employment-based immigration, and for an extended period of time, there was a serious backlog of visa applications waiting to be processed.

Is there improvement?

Many seeking to come to the United States have submitted the appropriate paperwork and are awaiting notification of their status. Some applicants have been waiting months or years, and pandemic-related office closures and processing slowdowns have led to longer waiting periods. Thankfully, the Biden Administration has done some things to improve processing times. Over the past year, the number of immigrants and foreign workers has increased.

This is good news for many as immigrants are needed to fill important roles in the U.S. economy. Despite this improvement, legal immigration remains lower than before the Trump Administration. Many visa applications are still backlogged, and there are millions of asylum applications waiting to be processed.

How to navigate the system

It is not easy to navigate the immigration system. Regardless of one’s goals, it is important to have legal assistance at every step. An evaluation of the immigration process and one’s goals will provide insight into how to minimize complications and setbacks. Before filing an application, it may be helpful to speak with a Louisiana immigration law attorney.