US government officials have indicated that issuance of EB-1 employment-based green cards for Indian nationals may be temporarily paused in the coming weeks, citing a surge in demand.
The United States issues about 140,000 employment-based green cards each year. Under existing rules, no single country can receive more than 7% of the total allocation, which affects applicants from high-demand countries.
Officials noted that Indians make up a large share of those waiting for US green cards, with reports stating that 79% of the pending list comprises Indian applicants. As applications under the EB-1 category rise, the country-specific quota for India could be exhausted before the US fiscal year ends on September 30.
The EB-1 category is meant for individuals with exceptional ability in fields such as science, arts and business. Authorities said the possible pause would be temporary and linked to the annual cap and the pace of filings in the coming weeks.
