News Round Up 6/23/ – 6/29/2025 Part 5

Most U.S. employers sponsor H-1B employees for EB-2 green cards due to their advanced qualifications. However, Indian and Chinese nationals, from countries with populations exceeding one billion, face significant backlogs due to per-country caps, unlike applicants from smaller countries who may face no backlog. Approximately 308,481 Indian nationals with approved EB-2 I-140 petitions await green cards, facing wait times exceeding 10 years in 2023 Forbes, 2023. U.S. businesses cannot afford to lose this talent, as it drives innovation and economic growth. Optional Practical Training (OPT) allows F-1 students to work post-graduation (up to 36 months for STEM), serving as a pipeline to H-1B visas USCIS, 2023. For Indian nationals, the Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram is helping STEM leaders transition to the faster EB-1 green card option, which requires demonstrating extraordinary ability (e.g., major awards or three of ten criteria like published material or leadership roles) and typically takes 2–4 years. Indian nationals who have waited longer than 2–4 years in the EB-2 queue can transfer their priority date to the EB-1 category, often moving to the front of the EB-1 line and securing green card approvals in months if they meet the criteria Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, 2024.

Headline and Summary

Visa Crackdowns and Green Card Backlogs Threaten STEM Innovation
USCIS, CBP, and ICE are intensifying visa scrutiny, deterring STEM applicants, while decade-long EB-2 green card backlogs for Indian nationals, compounded by tightened H-1B and OPT criteria, stifle innovation critical for the AI and digital age.

Details of the Event

USCIS implemented stricter H-1B and OPT criteria in 2024, raising denial risks for STEM applicants Forbes.

H-1B application volumes dropped 15% in 2024, with 308,481 Indian nationals awaiting EB-2 green cards in 2023 Forbes.

International student enrollment fell 11% in 2024 due to visa uncertainties Forbes.

Over 1.2 million Indians, including 308,481 in the EB-2 category, are in employment-based green card backlogs as of November 2023 Forbes, 2023.

The Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram assists STEM leaders in self-petitioning for EB-1 green cards, with priority date transfers enabling approvals in months for those waiting longer in the EB-2 queue Law Offices of Chris M. Ingram, 2024.