The US current green card system is not up to the task, with highly valued professionals spending a decade or more mired in backlogs. These backlogs have become even more severe in the month of April 2012, especially for individuals born in India and China.

The current system is based on a quota system for countries. The current system punishes individuals from big countries such as India and China, which produce large numbers of technology professionals. Those from smaller countries such as, say, Iceland, have a much easier time getting employment-based green cards because their countries rarely exceed the 7% cap.

The H.R. 3012 amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate the per-country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, to increase the per-country numerical limitation for family-sponsored immigrants, and for other purposes.

Senator Chuck Grassley should act in good will and list his hold on the H.R. 3012 in the Senate and facilitate the passage of the bill to reduce the hardships on tens of thousands on tax paying legal immigrants and their families.