Bill Overview
Title: RELIEF Act
Description: This bill revises provisions related to family- and employment-based visas. The bill (1) increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, (2) eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas, and (3) removes an offset that reduced the number of visas for individuals from China. The annual cap for visas for the unmarried children of citizens is increased, and the formula for calculating the cap for the unmarried children of residents is revised. The bill also establishes transition rules for employment-based visas from FY2022-FY2024, by reserving a percentage of EB-2 (workers with advanced degrees or exceptional ability), EB-3 (skilled and other workers), and EB-5 (investors) visas for individuals not from the two countries with the largest number of recipients of such visas. Of the unreserved visas, not more than 85% shall be allotted to immigrants from any single country. The Department of State shall increase allocations of family- and employment-based visas by the number of beneficiaries of such applications filed before this bill's enactment, to be allocated FY2022-FY2026 to beneficiaries of applications filed before this bill's enactment who have not yet received a visa. The minor children and spouses of permanent residents and those accompanying a qualified alien shall be treated as an immediate relative for immigration purposes. Whether an alien qualifies as a minor shall be determined according to the alien's age at the time a relevant petition is filed.
Sponsors: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Target Audience
Population: People seeking family- or employment-based visas to the U.S.
Estimated Size: 3000000
- The RELIEF Act primarily impacts immigrants seeking family-based or employment-based visas to the United States.
- The bill increases visa caps and modifies existing visa distribution regulations, which broadens the eligibility and availability of visas for those affected.
- It changes the per-country caps on family-based visas from 7% to 15% and eliminates them for employment-based visas, meaning more individuals from countries previously hitting these caps can enter the U.S.
- It directly benefits Chinese nationals by removing the offset reducing their visas, likely due to historical queues and caps affecting them.
- Individuals who are waiting for visas could see an increase in their chances of receiving a visa due to these revisions.
- This bill could indirectly impact the families of those receiving visas, leading to changes in family reunification dynamics.
Reasoning
- The RELIEF Act primarily impacts immigrants and their families trying to obtain family- or employment-based visas to the U.S.
- There's increased visa availability which can directly benefit immigrants facing long queues due to existing country-based caps.
- The policy's impact is limited in immediate implementation costs but potentially broad in scope by accelerating visa processes for affected families.
- The U.S. perimeter population indirectly affected includes employers seeking foreign employees and family members categorically waiting for reunification.
- Economic effects might surface as new immigrants transition swiftly into the U.S. workforce under fewer constraints.
Simulated Interviews
Software Engineer (San Jose, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful this might reduce the waiting time for my green card application.
- The removal of the employment-based visa cap is a significant decision for applicants like me from India.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
PhD Student (New York, NY)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could positively affect my chances of staying post-graduation.
- Eliminating the cap for employment visas helps people like me from China a lot.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
University Professor (Houston, TX)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The higher family visa cap could finally allow my younger siblings to join me in the U.S.
- I've been trying to bring them over for many years.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Entrepreneur (Seattle, WA)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might make it easier to switch from an E-2 to an EB-5 visa.
- It seems like these changes simplify the hurdles for investors like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Small Business Owner (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 54 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope these reforms will speed up my brother's immigration process.
- We've faced long delays due to caps, which this bill aims to fix.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
College Student (Boston, MA)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The increase in family visas might mean my family can reunite sooner.
- I wish the benefits extended more to temporary visa holders like students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Nurse (Miami, FL)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- These changes might finally allow me to bring my family over.
- The family visa cap increase is crucial for people like me with family outside the U.S.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
IT Consultant (Chicago, IL)
Age: 47 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Reducing waiting times for green cards is a practical step forward.
- The removal of country caps benefits many in the tech industry.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 63 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If the reforms help bring my son and his family over faster, it's worth supporting.
- The long waiting times imposed by country caps have been challenging.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Graphic Designer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This bill could ease my spouse's journey towards permanent residency.
- Eliminating country caps for employment-based visas is promising.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 2: $25000000 (Low: $18000000, High: $30000000)
Year 3: $30000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $35000000)
Year 5: $35000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $40000000)
Year 10: $40000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $50000000)
Year 100: $40000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $50000000)
Key Considerations
- The policy could increase processing backlogs if the administrative system is not adequately expanded.
- There may be public pushback regarding increased immigration and its perceived impacts on the labor market.
- Adjustments in the visa process require significant upfront investment in infrastructure and workforce.