Retrogression, The Real Numbers
The FY 2006 140,000 employment-based numbers will increase by
7,000 numbers (overflow from family immigration numbers per the
existing statutory scheme). Another one-time 101,000 numbers will
be recaptured from FY 1999-2004 and will also be added to FY
2006, bringing the total to 248,000. This may portend some
dramatic improvement in the Visa Bulletin in the balance of FY
2006 but it may not be enough. Different solutions are being
considered for meaningful relief. These include: reallocation of
the diversity visa (55,000) numbers by eliminating the DV
category, and recapturing erroneously counted employment numbers
(rumored to be significant). Other solutions being considered are
the issuance of advance parole and EAD eligibility to primary
applicants and spouses applying for their I-140s and large
permanent increases in permanent employment numbers through the
Mc-Cain-Kennedy bill. This pressing problem will surely provide
ample opportunity for creativity during this Congress.