Request: Give us 10 good reasons why the H4 visas should get a work permit?

[shah]

Right now, Immigration law is at the top of the political debates. It is imperative that we reach out to the president and members of Congress for our plight on H4 visa. This is why I am requesting people to post at our forum http://splawforum.com, 10 good reasons why H4 should get a work permit or EAD?

Please post on this forum only.

Thanks
Shah Peerally, Esq.
www.PeerallyLaw.com

[pinky6jan]

Following are some of the reasons that I could think of as to why the H4 visas should get a work permit. Please add to the list and feel free to highlight all these reasons to the officials concerned whenever you guys meet or email them. It will also help us during the public comment phase of rule-making.:

1) People on H4 visa are highly educated, experienced and well qualified for jobs in the US. There are many jobs in US which require such qualified candidates but lack of work permit on H4 visa prevents these candidates from being recruited for these jobs which is a loss of time and resources not only for the candidate but for US companies as well. Thus providing work permit for H4 visa holders will be a win-win situation for both the candidates and US companies.

2) Many people consider going to either their home country or some other foreign country where their spouse will be given the opportunity to work legally and contribute to the family income which means a loss of well-qualified manpower to US companies which in turn prevents national growth and development.

3) An H4 visa person is completely financially dependent on their spouse (H1B visa holder) which may be a cause of domestic abuse in some cases.

4) Raising a family in US is expensive and it puts financial constraint on the family where only one person is legally permitted to work and the rest have to depend on that one-person's income. The situation becomes worse when the spouse is well-qualified, yet deprived from contributing to the family income.

5) Waiting for a green card is an endless journey. It takes many years due to the backlog caused by country-specific annual caps on Green cards. During all these years, the H4 visa holder is unable to work which eventually causes an employment gap in my their Resume/Curriculum Vitae which may ultimately make them unemployable over time.

6) Most of the H4 visa holders who come to USA are well educated (cream of their society) who leave their home country and come here with a dream. Acquiring higher education means investing a lot of money, time, hard-work, dedication and patience and all this is done to build a career and help their families financially and to be happy in life but it seems like being on H4 visa is truly a curse because all their investments seem to be going down the drain, a total waste. This is a situation that causes lot of frustration. It can be understood only by those who have gone through it.

7) Despite having good education credentials, people on H4 visa are deprived of making a career during their peak years which makes them mentally frustrated and over the years can lead to personal health problems (physical and/or mental) leading to further family problems which ultimately affects their work out-put.

8) There may be some cases where people are indebted to loans taken for their higher education or for some other family reasons. Not being legally allowed to work and being dependent one single income poses difficulties in repaying these loans.

9) Finally, we all came here because we were told that America is a nation that rewards those who deserve it. Less did we know that there are so many loop-holes involved, especially when on the H4 visa. Seeing our current plight, many of our qualified younger generation (our younger friends and family) are reconsidering their thoughts of coming to US. Instead they are looking at other countries which are more easy on giving them work authorization.

10) Unfairness to those H4 visa holders who are born in India and China to be not be able to work for years (while waiting for Green Card) despite having equally good credentials as compared to a foreign candidate born in some other country.......The American system emphasizes on equality to all applicants/candidates (irrespective of his/her nationality, religion, race etc.), then why has this issue not been given any consideration all this while??? Being born in a specific country seems to be a major hurdle in the progress of deserving and hard-working people who are sincere in abiding by all the country rules and regulations!!! :-(

[shah]

Thank you. Please feel free to add more

[Unregistered]

H4EAD and US graduates

H4EAD is also needed for those spouses who had obtained a Masters Degree or PhD from USA accredited Universities, but after graduating and also after gaining some professional expertise due to some reasons, are compelled to change their legal status to H4.

Even though these USA graduates( STEM or non STEM) have degrees and professional experiences in USA, still they are stuck within this H4 rules and regulations and ARE NOT ABLe TO GET BACK TO THE USA WORKFORCE again due to Green card backlog and H4 restrictions.

These USA graduates are trained by USA accredited universities to contribute their knowledge, skill and expertise to USA communities in every aspect, but due to current restrictions on H4, these USA graduate spouses cannot contribute either to the USA society or to their own family.

[ranj4pz]

Most H4 visa holders are women who have work experience back in their home country but quit their jobs to accompany their husbands to the US. Once in the US, they face the trauma of completely losing their identity, with not even an SSN issued in their name. They do not have basic privileges like having a bank account or owning a credit card in their name. To call them completely 'dependent' on spouses in an understatement. Most struggle to get a hold of their lives, by trying a hand at volunteering or pursuing higher studies. While only a few find the energy and motivation to give competitive exams such as GRE/TOEFL to pursue higher studies, others succumb to the idea of starting a family by believing that the only way they can pass time in the US is by having a baby. While L2s can work, I am clueless as to why H4s cannot. Many on H4s undergo bouts of depression to see women of the same age around them work and living a purposeful life. All they can do is just sigh and move on with their life. I hope this dream rule gets passed and H4s get their much deserved right to work.