LANSING, Mich., March 9, 2022 — State Rep. Padma Kuppa (D-Troy) introduced House Resolution 248 this week to urge the federal government to enact legislation that would help address our worker shortage, particularly in the STEM fields, by reforming the per-country caps or numerical limits on employment-based immigration. State Rep. Jack O’Malley (R-Lake Ann) is a lead co-sponsor.

“By removing country-specific caps, over a million people stuck in the backlog who are working and living in the United States, and thousands here in Michigan, will be able to get their green cards.”  Kuppa said. “These country caps restrict a person’s ability to work, travel, contribute to our society, and can also suppress wages, making us less attractive to global talent and hinder our competitiveness.”

The policy resolution asks Congress to pass the bipartisan bill HR 3648. Applying for permanent residence when an individual meets all of the requirements should be a quick and easy process. In Canada, it can happen in less than a year. Australia is similar. Decades-long wait times in the US are projected to extend up to 50 years if the law is not changed.

The resolution has been referred to the House Committee on Workforce, Trades, and Talent.