Immigration is beneficial — if it's legal

USATODAY.com - OPINION:
I have been here on a H1-B visa for the last 9 yrs and havent been able to get my greencard, since the VISA dates for India is retrogessed. Its causing lots of hardships to people as following applies to them. I have an MBA from Standford University.

a) They cant change jobs.
b) Take a vaccation to home country.
c) Driver's licenses are renewed only upto the date the VISA is valid.
d) Spouses cannot work.
e) If you go to college, you are charged non-immigrant fees.
d) You cannot settle down etc and you need to put a lot of things in the back burner.

e) If the SKIL bill is passed, it would greatly benefit every one, as it will allow filing of the I-485, and save the highly educated immigrants from lots of hardship

Ashok Bajaria

I am a H1B holder engineer who came to this country 7 years ago.

I have been working for 7 years, paid my taxes (income tax and social security tax) without fail.

My last company has applied for Green card 2 years back and I know I have to wait for at least another 4 years to get a Green Card because of the huge backlog in INS processing center.

Meanwhile I am not able to change employers (as I am chained to my employer by virtue of the promise of Green Card aka freedom) and I feel that I am not able to work to my full potential.

Also I am not able to invest and buy property because even though I can very well afford it I dont want to buy a property with all the uncertainity about the Green Card.

I think after seven years of working hard, paying taxes , not breaking the law and able to prove oneself in ones place of work - he or she deserves some basic freedom that a human being is entitled to. He/She should be able to change job at will and should be able to buy property. Also did I mention that even though we pay social security taxes we are not entitled to the benifit unless we get Green Card?