Current Immigration standards versus Merit Based Immigration System

Our current system. . . .

Current Status
The U.S. immigration system right now annually grants legal permanent residence status or green cards to about one million foreign-born individuals. Four main methods are used for this purpose: humanitarian reasons, green-card lottery selection, job offer from an employer in the U.S. and family sponsorship.
Most of the green cards are awarded each year via family ties with relatives who are already residents of the United States. Green cards via employment are only about 14 percent of the annual total, which are roughly about 140,000.
There are also many people who enter the U.S. on temporary visas. They also influence the economy. About half of the people granted green cards are already in the country, having transitioned from holding temporary visas to being permanent residents.
This is a very important factor because the selection process for people granted temporary visas is different from the process of granting permanent residency.
In 2016, the breakdown of some of the temporary visas is as follows:
Students (F & M visas) – 513,000
Workers (with job offers and their dependents) (H & L visas) – 700,000
Exchange visitors (many of them working) (J visas) – 380,120
It should be noted that most of the work-related temporary visas are usually issued for unskilled workers (quite differenquote]t from a merit-based immigration system). Temporary visa holders also qualify for a family-based green card if they get married to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Based on the purpose of the visa categories, the skill mix of people coming to the U.S. is influenced by the U.S. government. However, it is not the government that chooses the persons entering the country within the visa categories.
For work-related visas, the employers play a direct role in selecting the immigrants. The employers could submit applications for H-1B temporary work visas for college degree holders. There are 85,000 reserved visas for this category. When it is not filled up for the year, the excess is used in the visa lottery.

What the Trump Administration is proposing. . . . .

The Points System
If a country imposes the points system (the merit-based immigration system), it comes up with a set of desirable characteristics from immigration applicants. These are weighed by assigning different points for each category. There will be a threshold number for the total point tally. Priority is given to applicants whose total points go beyond the threshold.
Australia, Canada and New Zealand have used the merit-based immigration system for many years. The United Kingdom also adopted the system recently. With the merit-based immigration system, immigration is favorable to applicants with higher experience and education.
However, it should be noted that even countries that admit immigrants via the  merit-based immigration system also use other systems. Canada for example, admits immigrants for humanitarian reasons and also because of family ties.
The impact of the points system rests on the scope of the system as well as the standards that would be used for the points.
If the U.S. were to introduce the merit-based immigration system, the impact would be bigger if the scope of the employment-based category is to be expanded, instead of just applying it to those temporary visas and green cards that are already based on employment.
One major advantage of the points system or the merit-based immigration system is its ability to select immigrants who have chances to earn more, thus contribute more to the country's economy.
In Canada, there is concrete evidence that immigrants who came to the country via the points system do have higher education. Their earnings and employment rates are also higher than other immigrants.
But there are is some evidence that points to the fact that those selected via the Canadian points system did not perform well in the labor market. Even if they have college degrees, they only earn wages that are given to high-school graduates. They are not innovative, compared to those college-educated immigrants entering the U.S.
No study has been done to understand the reason for this. But there is the possibility that it has something to do with how employers make the selection.
This could be surmised by the amendments the countries using the merit-based immigration system for immigration have done to their system, prioritizing applicants who have the potential to be productive, those who are carefully selected by employers and those whose scores are above the threshold points.
Proposed Merit-Based Immigration System
If the current Senate bill passes without change, the merit-based immigration system will be enacted after five years. Green cards would be rewarded based on the foreign immigrant's educations, work history, skills, English language skills and ties to U.S. citizens.
They would also be considered based on their country of origin, business activities and other qualities, such as community service. The proposal for merit-based immigration system provides the availability of 120,000 visas annually. Depending on the demand, the number could increase to a maximum of 250, 000 visas each year.
During the initial four years after the enactment of the merit-based visa system, based on the current proposal, the number of visa allocation would supplement the EB-3 visa allocation so the backlog that exists for third preference employment-related petitions could be eliminated.
It would only be on the fifth year after the bill has been approved that the merit-based visa allocation would be opened to immigration applicants who already have approved or pending petitions under the family-based or employment-based categories.

www.daytranslations.com...


Ok, TL;DR.

So the short version. . . .

Now? We let in practically everyone. "Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses urging to be free. . . . ".

What is proposed?

.Green cards would be rewarded based on the foreign immigrant's educations, work history, skills, English language skills and ties to U.S. citizens.

I placed this outside of the Mudpit because I wanted this to be an honest debate on the subject.



Personally, I'm ambivalent. I can see both sides of the issue. But I may change my mind.



I leave it to your consideration.

Well, there is a problem here.

First off, foreign educations are not as valued in the American system as stateside educations.

So essentially anyone with the specific education still won't be able to work in their respected field anyway.

a reply to: toysforadults


Can you give a "for instance"?

I mean, Aussie docs should be able to practice medicine when they pass the US boards, same as if an American doc went to Oz.

They way I see it, currently the US has an "open bar" policy.

Trump wants to change it to a "cash bar".

a reply to: DBCowboy

If you have a degree in chemical engineering from a Nigerian University no one in chemical engineering in the US is going to recognize the merit of the degree.

Not sure why that is happening but it's happening.

I agree we need quality people coming here, we already have too many liberals that don't want to work (bottom feeders), can't work(felons/prison) or got a degree in gender neutral pottery making that can't find a job.

originally posted by: toysforadults
a reply to: DBCowboy

If you have a degree in chemical engineering from a Nigerian University no one in chemical engineering in the US is going to recognize the merit of the degree.

Not sure why that is happening but it's happening.

Is that the same as being a chemical engineer in Nigeria is somehow different from a chemical engineer in the US?

a reply to: avgguy

How this all relates to the economy is going to change so rapidly we should be discussing this rapid transformation we may potentially undergo over the next ten years as Silicone Valley automates us out of work more than Trumps Tweets.

But let's discuss it for the next 9 years while our country becomes a 3rd world civilization due to our focus on ridiculous issues like what politicians said in private.

a reply to: DBCowboy

No idea why this exist but it does.

originally posted by: toysforadults
Well, there is a problem here.

First off, foreign educations are not as valued in the American system as stateside educations.

So essentially anyone with the specific education still won't be able to work in their respected field anyway.

Not all ways the case.

British and other western degrees are commonly more valued.

mainly cause we dont fill our degrees with obligatory social and liberal arts bull#.

originally posted by: DBCowboy

originally posted by: toysforadults
a reply to: DBCowboy

If you have a degree in chemical engineering from a Nigerian University no one in chemical engineering in the US is going to recognize the merit of the degree.

Not sure why that is happening but it's happening.

Is that the same as being a chemical engineer in Nigeria is somehow different from a chemical engineer in the US?

Its because of Degrees from African countries and other corrupt places are not worth the paper they are written on.

They have no value if someone can just buy a certificate which can quite often happen in corrupt places.
Why study when you can bribe a uni official?

I think we should stop all immigration for two years. we have to look in our own backyard and not have to worry about our borders. Come up with a comprehensive solution instead of band aids.

If you are here illegally you have to leave. However, if you want to come back you can after your meet the criteria put in place when we decide to allow immigration again.

When it comes to the future of our country it cannot be an emotional decision.

a reply to: Theprodicalson

Then this creates a problem because it puts disadvantaged people with potential skill and opportunities out of reach of opportunity to migrate and express said potential.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Why should the USA accept the dregs of the world?

The only exception i see is if the USA has actively ruined that country (iraq), other than that the USA should be entitled to only let the best and brightest in.

a reply to: Theprodicalson


I recall having to work in some areas of the world where more time was spent getting my counterparts to wear shoes than engaging in actual work.

So I can see the dichotomy.

originally posted by: Theprodicalson
a reply to: DBCowboy

Why should the USA accept the dregs of the world?

The only exception i see is if the USA has actively ruined that country (iraq), other than that the USA should be entitled to only let the best and brightest in.

I totally agree with this. Merit based immigration is actually how much of the world works.

originally posted by: toysforadults
a reply to: Theprodicalson

Then this creates a problem because it puts disadvantaged people with potential skill and opportunities out of reach of opportunity to migrate and express said potential.

Why are they the USA problem?

Those people can just go to Germany and France if they want to move that bad.



Plenty of immigrants with skills and qualifications that can take there place.

originally posted by: Theprodicalson
a reply to: DBCowboy

Why should the USA accept the dregs of the world?

The only exception i see is if the USA has actively ruined that country (iraq), other than that the USA should be entitled to only let the best and brightest in.

Rationally, you are correct.

But there is a humanitarian element that we really shouldn't ignore.

Should we?

a reply to: DBCowboy

Complicated issue.

The obvious solution to humanitarian issues is to solve the humanitarian issue not rescue as many intelligent people as possible who actually have the potential to help get their country on the right course.

If they apply, and are trying to enter legally...why is it an issue? Yes, the "give us your tired..." should apply.

Why not give people a chance? Even those from expletive countries.

Truth be told, they likely will work harder than those with already established credentials.

I like the idea of an open and free country. Safety be damned. Don't you want freedom? Build a wall? lol...

This coming from a straight middle-aged white guy in North Dakota. Oh, and I'm 100% Norwegian. LOL...