S 1983 ISCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

112th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

1st SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

S. 1983CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, to increase the per-country numerical limitation for family-sponsored immigrants, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

December 13, 2011CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. SCHUMER (for himself, Mr. LEAHY, and Mr. DURBIN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

A BILLCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, to increase the per-country numerical limitation for family-sponsored immigrants, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2011’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. NUMERICAL LIMITATION TO ANY SINGLE FOREIGN STATE.

(a) In General- Section 202(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1152(a)(2)) is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in the paragraph heading, by striking ‘AND EMPLOYMENT-BASED’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) by striking ‘(3), (4), and (5),’ and inserting ‘(3) and (4),’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) by striking ‘subsections (a) and (b) of section 203’ and inserting ‘section 203(a)’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) by striking ‘7’ and inserting ‘15’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) by striking ‘such subsections’ and inserting ‘such section’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Conforming Amendments- Section 202 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1152) is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ‘both subsections (a) and (b) of section 203’ and inserting ‘section 203(a)’;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) by striking subsection (a)(5); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(e) Special Rules for Countries at Ceiling- If it is determined that the total number of immigrant visas made available under section 203(a) to natives of any single foreign state or dependent area will exceed the numerical limitation specified in subsection (a)(2) in any fiscal year, in determining the allotment of immigrant visa numbers to natives under section 203(a), visa numbers with respect to natives of that state or area shall be allocated (to the extent practicable and otherwise consistent with this section and section 203) in a manner so that, except as provided in subsection (a)(4), the proportion of the visa numbers made available under each of paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 203(a) is equal to the ratio of the total number of visas made available under the respective paragraph to the total number of visas made available under section 203(a).’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Country-Specific Offset- Section 2 of the Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992 (8 U.S.C. 1255 note) is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘subsection (e))’ and inserting ‘subsection (d))’; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) by striking subsection (d) and redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (d).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall take effect as if enacted on September 30, 2011, and shall apply to fiscal year 2012 and each subsequent fiscal year.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Transition Rules for Employment-Based Immigrants-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- Subject to paragraphs (2) through (4), and notwithstanding title II of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.), the following rules shall apply:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) For fiscal year 2012, 15 percent of the immigrant visas made available under each of paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 203(b) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(b)) shall be allotted to immigrants who are natives of a foreign state or dependent area that was not 1 of the 2 States with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining immigrant visas during fiscal year 2010 under such paragraphs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) For fiscal year 2013, 10 percent of the immigrant visas made available under each of such paragraphs shall be allotted to immigrants who are natives of a foreign state or dependent area that was not 1 of the 2 States with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining immigrant visas during fiscal year 2011 under such paragraphs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) For fiscal year 2014, 10 percent of the immigrant visas made available under each of such paragraphs shall be allotted to immigrants who are natives of a foreign state or dependent area that was not 1 of the 2 States with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining immigrant visas during fiscal year 2012 under such paragraphs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) PER-COUNTRY LEVELS-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) RESERVED VISAS- With respect to the visas reserved under each of subparagraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph (1), the number of such visas made available to natives of any single foreign state or dependent area in the appropriate fiscal year may not exceed 25 percent (in the case of a single foreign state) or 2 percent (in the case of a dependent area) of the total number of such visas.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) UNRESERVED VISAS- With respect to the immigrant visas made available under each of paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 203(b) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(b)) and not reserved under paragraph (1), for each of fiscal years 2012, 2013, and 2014, not more than 85 percent shall be allotted to immigrants who are natives of any single foreign state.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) SPECIAL RULE TO PREVENT UNUSED VISAS- If, with respect to fiscal year 2012, 2013, or 2014, the application of paragraphs (1) and (2) would prevent the total number of immigrant visas made available under paragraph (2) or (3) of section 203(b) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(b)) from being issued, such visas may be issued during the remainder of such fiscal year without regard to paragraphs (1) and (2).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) RULES FOR CHARGEABILITY- Section 202(b) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1152(b)) shall apply in determining the foreign state to which an alien is chargeable for purposes of this subsection.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. E-VISA REFORM.

(a) Definition- Section 101(a)(15)(E)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(E)(iii)) is amended by inserting ‘, or solely to perform services as an employee who meets the requirements under section 203(d)(2) if the alien is a national of the Republic of Ireland,’ after ‘Australia’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Temporary Admission- Section 212(d)(3)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(3)(A)) is amended to read as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(A) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(i) an alien who is applying for a nonimmigrant visa and who the consular officer knows or believes to be ineligible for such visa under subsection (a) (other than subparagraphs (A)(i)(I), (A)(ii), (A)(iii), (C), (E)(i), and (E)(ii) of paragraph (3) of such subsection)--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(I) after approval by the Secretary of Homeland Security of a recommendation by the Secretary of State or by the consular officer that the alien be admitted temporarily despite the alien’s inadmissibility, may be granted such a visa and may be admitted into the United States temporarily as a nonimmigrant, in the discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(II) absent such recommendation and approval, be granted a nonimmigrant visa pursuant to section 101(a)(15)(E) if such ineligibility is based solely on conduct in violation of paragraph (6), (7), or (9) of section 212(a) that occurred before the date of the enactment of the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2011;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





‘(ii) an alien who is inadmissible under subsection (a) (other than subparagraphs (A)(i)(I), (A)(ii), (A)(iii), (C), (E)(i), and (E)(ii) of paragraph (3) of such subsection), is in possession of appropriate documents or was granted a waiver from such document requirement, and is seeking admission, may be admitted into the United States temporarily as a nonimmigrant, in the discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security, who shall prescribe conditions, including exaction of such bonds as may be necessary, to control and regulate the admission and return of inadmissible aliens applying for temporary admission under this paragraph.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Numerical Limitation- Section 214(g)(11)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(g)(11)(B)) is amended by inserting ‘for each of the nationalities identified under section 101(a)(15)(E)(iii)’ before the period at the end.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink