India faces massive backlog in US employment-based green card queue

The US employment-based green card system is experiencing severe congestion, with Indian citizens comprising a substantial portion of those awaiting permanent residency status. As per current data, the backlog has reached crisis proportions, with processing timelines extending far beyond typical bureaucratic delays.

The bottleneck stems from annual visa allocation caps that have remained largely unchanged for decades, while demand from countries like India—a major source of IT professionals and skilled workers—has grown exponentially. Under existing rules, employment-based green cards are distributed across multiple preference categories and countries, creating competing demands that slow the entire process.

Indian nationals dominate the backlog particularly in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories, which target professionals with advanced degrees and skilled workers respectively. Many applicants have been waiting years or even decades for their applications to be processed, during which time their visa status remains uncertain and their ability to change jobs or return home is restricted.

Reform advocates have long argued that the current system fails to meet labour market demands and creates unnecessary hardship for qualified workers. Multiple legislative proposals have been introduced to address the backlog, including increases to annual visa quotas and modifications to country-based allocation limits, though significant reform remains elusive.

The congestion has broader implications for US competitiveness and the Indian diaspora, as many skilled professionals increasingly explore alternative immigration pathways or opportunities in other countries offering faster residency processing.