Implications of the EAGLE Act on Immigration

An important part of what makes California special is the influx of immigrants. Companies in this state rely on the expertise and skills of people worldwide. Unfortunately, current restrictions can make life difficult for immigrants and U.S. companies attempting to hire them. However, some recently proposed legislation could change the rules about employment visas for the better.

What Is the EAGLE Act?

The Equal Access to Green Cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act is legislation introduced by Sens. John Hickenlooper and Kevin Cramer. If enacted into law, this piece of legislature could do away with several problems felt by U.S. immigrants and American citizens.

Removing immigrant-related limits

Currently, the United States must abide by per-country caps. This rule limits how many people from other countries can enter the United States per year. Unfortunately, this type of cap often leaves crucial talent unable to immigrate to the U.S. This situation also burdens American companies and industries from accessing international talent pools due to per-country caps.

According to Sen. Nick Kapoor, the EAGLE Act would also work on a first-come, first-served basis. This change could resolve the problem of potential immigrants dealing with long wait times for issued green cards.

Stopping temporary visa limbo

Another problem the EAGLE Act may resolve in the realm of employment immigration is the temporary visa. Those on temporary visas must renew their validations or face returning to their home country. This situation creates unwanted stress for people working to provide for themselves and their families.

The EAGLE Act calls for the United States to take in immigrants based on their merits instead of a country’s caps. Proponents of this bill also propose that it will lead to American workers receiving top priority for employment opportunities.