IFCSS HQ Special Report SR-4002 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ On Shortage of Immigrant Numbers for Chinese Students/Scholars =============================================================== A shortage of immigrant numbers for Chinese students and scholars has surfaced according to the State Department's Visa Bulletin of July 1992. In page 5 of the Bulletin, there is a paragragh which read: "Very substantially increased CHINA-mainland born demand for immigrant numbers in the Employment THIRD preference has required the establishment of a cut-off date for that CHINA-mainland born category, to keep issuances within the annual limitation." It means that because there are too many Chinese students and scholars who are applying for Permanent Residency on employment grounds, the INS has to set a cut-off date. Only those who filed applications prior to the cut-off date can be allotted a number (thus a green card.) As for July 1992, the employment-based 2nd preference (members of the professions holding advanced degrees or persons of exceptional ability) cut-off date is May 1, 1990 for Mainland China applicants (page 3); For employment-based 3rd preference (skilled workers, professionals and other workers), the cut-off date is Feb. 1, 1989. This indicates that as more and more Chinese students are getting degrees and entering the job market, the applications for immigrant numbers have far exceeded the annual limitations. Such a shortage will not only continue but will even get worse as more Chinese students are leaving campus and seeking employment each year. Under this situation, Chinese students and scholars after leaving the campus will find it more difficult to get a job offer. It will take longer and longer (several years of waiting for a number) to adjust to permanent resident. During that waiting period, it is very hard to make long term career or life plans. This problem, however, can be greatly (if not entirely) resolved if the Chinese student protection bill considered now by the House is passed. This bill will allow Chinese students/scholars who came before April 1990 to adjust to Permanent Residency under a special visa program. Therefore, for these potential applicants, not only the long waiting can be avoided, the worry and some times the huge expenses can also be reduced. If these applicants were given a special visa category, the immigrant number belong to them can be vacated which will benefit those who came after the executive protection order of 1990. The cut-off date would be removed and the visa abailabilities in those preferences would stay "current." Therefore, the protection bill will benefit all Chinese students/scholars who have not obtained Permanent Residency of the United States. The IFCSS 4th Congress passed a resolution urging the passage of the protection bill. It is one of the priorities of 4th term IFCSS working agenda. We urge local CSS organizations, IFCSS activists, all Chinese students/scholars who came both before and after the issuance of the executive order, to actively engage in the lobbying for the protection bill, to support the work of IFCSS President, vice president, Council, HQ, and working committees.