In a move that has left many employment-based green card applicants frustrated, the US State Department’s November 2024 Visa Bulletin reveals no significant movement in the employment-based green card queue. For thousands of workers hoping for some relief, this latest update continues the painful wait for permanent residency, dragging out already extensive timelines.
Meanwhile, family-based categories see a glimmer of hope, with slight progress in certain categories. Though far from groundbreaking, these small steps forward bring a sigh of relief to those awaiting reunification with loved ones. But for employment-based applicants, the message is clear: the long road just got a little longer.
Employment-Based Green Cards: Stuck in a Never-Ending Queue
The employment-based green card categories, including the coveted EB-2 and EB-3, saw no forward movement in the November bulletin. This stagnation has left highly skilled professionals, including engineers, IT experts, and healthcare workers, in a state of limbo. For many, years of working and contributing to the US economy now seem overshadowed by an unpredictable and stifling immigration system that shows no signs of immediate improvement.
Applicants, many of whom are from heavily backlogged countries like India and China, were eagerly anticipating a breakthrough that could bring them closer to their permanent residency. Instead, the November Visa Bulletin delivers a bitter pill: more waiting, more uncertainty, and an ever-growing backlog that has long frustrated foreign workers who have made the US their home.
Minor Movement in Family-Based Green Card Categories
While employment-based categories remain stuck, the family-based categories offer a sliver of hope. The November bulletin shows slight forward movement, particularly in the F2A (spouses and minor children of permanent residents) and F3 (married sons and daughters of US citizens) categories.
The progress may be minimal, but for families separated by international borders, every inch forward is a step closer to reunification. Even though the process remains slow and often disheartening, the modest improvements in November offer some encouragement for families torn apart by the bureaucratic web of the immigration system.
Green Card Backlog: A Growing Crisis
The lack of progress for employment-based applicants in the November 2024 bulletin highlights the worsening crisis of green card backlogs, particularly for individuals from India and China, where the wait times can stretch into decades. With no forward movement in sight, professionals on H-1B visas are left questioning their futures and whether they will ever see their green card materialize.
Critics argue that the US immigration system is in desperate need of reform, with outdated caps on green cards limiting the country’s ability to retain skilled workers. Many employment-based applicants have now found themselves stuck in a perpetual cycle of visa renewals and extensions, with little hope of permanent status.
What’s Next for Green Card Applicants?
For employment-based applicants, the November 2024 Visa Bulletin is a sobering reminder that change may not come anytime soon. Many are now turning to advocacy groups, hoping that legislative reform can break the deadlock and address the green card backlog. The pressure is mounting on the Biden administration to tackle the issue, with calls to eliminate per-country caps and increase the number of available green cards.
For family-based applicants, the slight progress in the November bulletin is a positive sign, though far from the substantial progress many had hoped for. The backlog in these categories remains significant, and while any forward movement is welcome, families are still facing years-long delays in being reunited.
Conclusion: A Bitter-Sweet Bulletin for Green Card Hopefuls
The November 2024 US Visa Bulletin is yet another chapter in the long saga of immigration challenges faced by both employment-based and family-based green card applicants. While families get a glimmer of hope with modest forward movement, employment-based green card hopefuls are left staring at an unmoving queue, with no clear end in sight.
As the green card backlog continues to grow, the pressure on the US government to implement meaningful reform has never been greater. For now, though, it seems that the wait continues, with November offering little comfort to those stuck in the endless visa limbo.