The economic impact of coronavirus on various countries is not unknown to us. One such country is the USA.
Donald Trump has introduced many steps to protect the USA’s economy. One such move has been extended and expanded restriction on immigration; according to some of the most influential business leaders, this move will reduce competition in the US.
The US president has extended a ban on green card application until the end of this year and has also suspended guest workers visas. Guest workers visas allowed everyone, ranging from scientists to doctors to work in the US.
According to Trump, he wishes to create a system of immigration which protects the lives and jobs of the citizens of the US in this pandemic.
Along with the suspension of green card visas, many other visas have also been suspended like the H-1B visa and the H4 visas.
Let me tell you that the H-1B visa is used by the technology companies and the H4 visas are for their spouses to live and work in the US.
Let us have a brief about what all visas come under the expansion of the visa ban put up by Trump in the US.
A BRIEF ON VISA BAN
Earlier on April 22, 2020, the US the president had imposed a ban on most of the green card visas, restricting the visa issuance to any outsider.
On 22nd June 2020 this ban shows a more expanded version, as Trump decided to ban other visas like:
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- Temporary working Visas
- Family-based Visas
- Employment-based visas
- Lottery immigrant visas
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The second ban is likely to continue till 31st December 2020.
According to Trump, if the conditions were normal, the US could have been benefitted with the temporary worker programs, but since conditions have gone really out of hand, it is posing a threat to the employment of US citizens which is not a good sign for the economy of the country.
Let us have a look at the earlier restrictions and compare it with the new extension of restrictions to have a a better understanding of the scenario.
THE BAN PUT UP ON 22nd April 2020:
Visas which were affected by the ban:
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- Immigration visas for the family member of US citizens.
- Immigration visas for the spouses and kids of the permanent residents of US
- Immigration visas which come under the diversity visa lottery
- Immigration visas which are based on the employment categories.
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People who were not affected by this ban:
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- Those who already had green cards
- Spouses and children of US citizens
- People enrolled in the US army and their wives and children
- Those who have applied for the green cards under the EB-5 investor program
- People serving as a national interest
- A person seeking a visa as a health care professional to fight the COVID-19
- People who were eligible for the special immigration visa
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THE BAN EXTENDED ON 24th June 2020
The visas which come under this ban:
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- H-1B visas ( meant for professional and other such people)
- H-2B visas (meant for the temporary workers who are not of the agricultural basis)
- L-1A visas
- L-1B visas
- J-1 exchange visitors are also restricted
- Wives and unmarried children of the people coming under the above categories are restricted to obtain any Visa.
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People who will not be affected by this expanded version of the ban are:
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- People having green cards
- Spouses, minor children or unmarried children of US citizens
- All the foreign nationals who have been present on the 24th of June 2020.
- Foreign nationals who already have valid visas and other such travel permits issued by the US.
- People who wish to immigrate to the US for providing essential services to the US
- People whose entry will prove beneficial to the US.
- People from J-1, who don’t come under the banned categories.
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According to the official, this extended version of the ban will increase job opportunities in the US, giving an uplift to the falling economy.
However, this move has been criticized by many, as they believe, the economy of the US has always been supported by the immigrants as they bring in a great wealth of knowledge to a country.