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.
http://www.ilw.com/immigdaily/digest/2005,0923.shtm