Indian professionals face centuries-long green-card wait as employment visa backlog tops 1.2 million

Research by the National Foundation for American Policy indicates that Indian nationals seeking employment-based permanent residency in the United States may endure wait times of up to 179 years for the EB-2 category, with EB-3 and EB-1 timelines at about 38 years and 5 years respectively. The employment-based backlog has risen past 1.2 million applicants, and Indians represent roughly 79 % of that total. The analysis points to two legislative constraints: a statutory ceiling of 140,000 green cards per fiscal year and a uniform country-specific quota that gives India the same share as much smaller nations.

Historical data show that in 2016 only a few thousand Indian EB-2 petitions resulted in green cards, pushing tens of thousands into the waiting list each year, a pattern that has continued. Comparisons with Chinese applicants reveal similarly long waits for EB-1 and EB-2, though EB-3 delays are shorter. The findings highlight how current immigration rules disproportionately affect highly skilled workers from large countries.