[zabraxias]

That's an oversimplification since the valley is the leading proponent of immigration reform (yes since the companies there will get better access to foreign workers) but every other developed nation seems to have a more sensible policy like allowing "work status" and not tying it to a specific company. Green cards effectively do that but unless you're Bieber or can afford the $1M investment visa you don't get one on day 1.

[syntern]

Green card is not a work permit, it is a residency status. People focus on the work part, but with choosing the green card, one is choosing between the US and the rest of the world for a very long time.

First of all, it requires you to reside in the US, permanently (hence the official name). You don't move home for longer periods (e.g. years), as getting back in the US is not automatic. I understand that the US sees entering in the US as privilege, but these people usually help the US economy, and not burden it, so there is that.

Second, it really limits your options. Suppose you decide to go outside of the US in just a few years after the green card, giving it up, and suddenly, for the rest of your life, whenever you enter in the US, you need to tell you life's story to the immigration officer and why you have applied for immigration status and what happened with it.

And if you have connections, properties or investments in Europe, you will be always in limbo whether the European bank will decline business with you based on your US tax status.

Going for a green card is a no-brainer for everyone who is going for US citizenship. Everyone else, take a better look on it, before you go for it.

[CodeMage]

> Going for a green card is a no-brainer for everyone who is going for US citizenship. Everyone else, take a better look on it, before you go for it.

So what's the alternative? I'm asking out of honest curiosity, because H-1B seems to have at least two serious drawbacks: 1) if you want to switch jobs, you have to go through the lottery again (as far as I understand), and 2) your dependents are on H-4 visa, which means that they aren't allowed to get a job (except as a volunteer).

[abraham_s]

1) Is not true. If you change jobs you don't have to go through the lottery again. It is just paperwork. 2) Is true and it is a big issue. It is sad to see educated spouses wasting their time here in the US

[syntern]

I'm on H1B too with H4 spouse. My alternative is just to go back to Europe, and live there - and considering several factors, it may not be that different from the US (in terms of overall better vs. worse).

[tsycho]

+1 to what you said. In addition, green cards take 6-12 years to process for those born in India or China (6+ years for EB-2, 10+ years for EB-3), so even if people want to get them, the wait duration is insanely long. And while your green card is being processed, you have significant restrictions in changing your company, job title or location, else you might be put back to the beginning of the queue.

[geebee]

I agree that the US badly needs immigration reform, and that stories like this are painful to read. I see nothing productive about keeping someone like the author of this post out of the US, and I see plenty of harm.

I do think the US needs a skilled immigration system (perhaps a points based system like Australia), and perhaps we should increase the allotment (the US currently takes in about 1.2 million immigrants a year through a fairly byzantine system that makes it difficult for someone with no close US citizen relatives to immigrate here).

That's where my agreement with the lobbying efforts of large silicon valley companies ends, though. I'm not in favor of granting the HR departments of large silicon valley corporations control over the immigration system under the guise of immigration "reform". And while I do favor general skilled immigration, I don't think it should be specifically based on the notion of a tech or stem worker shortage, as I don't think the evidence supports this claim.

[jleyank]

This was not the case 6-7 years ago in Canada. US-ians entering on a NAFTA visa were tied to their particular employer. They were able to apply for Permanent Resident status on this visa, which was helpful. The only change I am aware of is a shift from 1-year to 3-year visas. PR applications require multi-year time-in-Canada (and Quebec Selection if applying from Quebec).