If US lawmakers have their way, Filipinos and other people waiting for their US Green Card to be granted will have to concentrate on finishing their education first and acquiring related skills before filing their respective application. For the longest time, the privilege of getting a US Green Card seemed to be based on luck more than anything else. This is expected to change sooner than we think as proposals to grant greens cards based on merit related to education and work experience rather than family ties gain ground.

green card

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

The American Dream – Getting a US Green Card

For many working Filipinos, the American Dream represents the realization of their aspirations for financial and material wealth. America has long been seen as a promised land where the grass is lot greener. This is based on the common belief that such wealth cannot be obtained if they stay here in the Philippines even while exerting the same effort.

The pursuance of the American Dream has been done mostly based on family connections. One member of the family flies to the US to work, establishes himself or herself there, obtain naturalization, and then files a green card application in behalf of the relative/s who seeks to follow. Based on the family reunification program, US immigration authorities are still working on applications filed as early as 1989.

The Proposed Immigration Reform Bill

Under this proposed bill, US will follow the footsteps of countries like Britain and Canada. These countries have been using a system that awards points based on specific criteria. Topping the list of criteria are educational attainment, work experience, specialized skills, relation of work to acquired degree, English language proficiency, and age. Family ties will still be considered but on a much lower scale.

Applicants from countries with low immigration will earn points. Obviously, these particular points will not be earned by applicants from Mexico, China, and India because of the existing big number of immigrants from these countries. There is also a proposed quota-free granting of green cards to people with  extraordinary qualifications as researchers and scientists. Clearly, the emphasis is placed on what the applicant can offer to the country instead of the other way around.

The Significance of the Proposed Bill to Filipinos

So how will Filipinos fare in this scenario? Observers agree that the applicants from countries like China, India, and the Philippines are at an advantage with regards to education and skills training. The setback for Filipinos may lie in the fact that Filipino immigrants in the US already comprise a large number.

My Say

The mentality that life is much easier and happier in America as compared to our life here in the Philippines is not about to go away. This is in spite of the fact that many Filipino immigrants have attested to how life can be difficult as well in the so-called “Land of Milk and Honey”.  As long as the opportunities here in our country remain unreachable and non-existing for some, Filipinos will continue to leave the Philippines and bring their learning and skills to foreign lands.