美国国会研究服务部-美国以就业为基础的移民政策

U.S.Employment-BasedImmigrationPolicyUpdatedJuly,2022CongressionalResearchServiceR47164essionalResearchServicemmigrationPolicyEachyear,theUnitedStatesgrantslawfulpermanentresident(LPR)status,orgreencards,toabout140,000foreignworkersandtheirfamilymembers.Theseemployment-based(EB)immigrantsarepartofabroaderpermanentimmigrationsystemestablishedbyfederallaw—theImmigrationandNationalityAct(INA)—thatgrantsLPRstatustoroughly1millionforeignnationalsannually.Employment-basedimmigrantsacquireLPRstatusthroughoneoffivepreferencecategories:threehierarchicalcategoriesbasedonqualificationsandneededskills(EB1,EB2,andEB3);amiscellanyspecialimmigrantcategory(EB4);andanimmigrantinvestorcategory(EB5).Eachcategoryisnumericallylimitedandhasitsowneligibilityrequirements.TheINAfurtherlimitseachimmigrant-sendingcountrytonomorethan7%ofallemployment-basedLPRsgrantedeachyear.Theprocesstoacquireagreencarddependsonwhereprospectiveemployment-basedimmigrantsreside.Foreignnationalsresidingoverseaspetitionforanimmigrantvisaasnewarrivals.ThoseresidingintheUnitedStatesapplytoadjuststatusfromanonimmigrant(temporary)statustoLPRstatus.MostprospectiveEBimmigrantsrequireU.S.employerstosponsorthemforLPRstatusregardlessofwheretheyreside.TheDepartmentofState(DOS)tracksandallocatesallgreencards.July21,2022lliamAKandelrlystinImmigrationJillHWilsonlystinImmigrationhADonovancialistinLaborPolicyAsizableproportionofEBimmigrantsworkinthescience,technology,engineering,andmathematics(STEM),healthcare,andfinancialsectors.Indian,Chinese,Korean,andFilipinonationalsaccountedfor38%ofallEBimmigrantsinFY2019.MostprospectiveEBimmigrantsadjuststatuswhileresidingintheUnitedStatesandarealreadyembeddedintheU.S.labormarket,oftenworkingfortheirsponsoringemployers.BecausethedemandforEBgreencardsfaroutweighstheannualstatutoryallotment,asizeableemployment-basedqueuehasemerged.Thisqueueofforeignworkersandtheiraccompanyingfamilymembers—whohaveapprovedEBpetitionsandarewaitingforanimmigrantvisanumber—totaledabout870,000inSeptember2021.TheEBqueueexistslargelybecauseU.S.employerssponsorroughlytwiceasmanynonimmigrants(andtheirfamilymembers)forLPRstatusastherearestatutorilyavailableslots.Newprospectiveimmigrantsfrommajorimmigrant-sendingcountrieslikeIndiaandChinacananticipateayears-longordecades-longwait,dependingonemployment-basedvisacategory,toacquireagreencard.Inrecentyears,U.S.employershavehiredmorenonimmigrantworkers,particularlythosewithscienceandtechnologicalskills.Inaddition,foreignstudentshaveassumedaprominentroleatmanyU.S.universities,ashaveforeign-bornworkersintechnicalsectorsoftheU.S.labormarket.Certainnonimmigrantvisasbridgetheotherwiseseparatenonimmigrantandimmigrantsystems,becausetheINAgrantstheirrecipientsdualintentthatallowsthemtoworktemporarilyintheUnitedStatesandseekLPRstatusasnonimmigrants.ProminentdualintentvisacategoriesincludetheH-1BspecialtyworkerandLintra-companytransfereevisas.Thelastmajorlegislativechangetothepermanentemployment-basedsystemoccurredwiththeImmigrationActof1990,whichestablishedthecurrentpreferencecategorysystemanditsnumericallimits.Since1990,theU.S.grossdomesticproduct(GDP)hasdoubledandtechnologyhasexpandedthroughouttheU.S.economy.SomeconsiderstatutoryimmigrationlimitsinsufficientforcurrentU.S.labormarketneeds.Opponentsofincreasingimmigrationlevelsciteconcernsoveremploymentcompetitionandlimitedevidenceoftightlabormarkets.Somehaveproposedpoliciestoaddresstheemployment-basedqueue,includingeliminatingthe7%per-countryceilingandincreasingthetotalnumberofemployment-basedimmigrantsadmitted.Somesupportincreasingtheannuallimitonemployment-basedimmigrantstoaccommodatecurrentlabormarketneeds.OthersarguethatCongressshouldalterthecriteriabywhichtheUnitedStatesadmitsallpermanentimmigrants,puttinggreateremphasisonlabormarketcontribution.Somehaveproposedpoints-basedsystemsthatrewardattributesassociatedwithpositiveeconomicandlabormarketoutcomes.Othersproposedecentralizingimmigrantselectionthroughplace-basedsystemsthatallowstatesandjurisdictionstosponsorforeignworkersbasedonlocallaborneeds.Othershaveproposedregularlyadjustingimmigrantlevelsbasedonnationalneeds. USEmploymentBasedImmigrationPolicyessionalResearchServiceIntroduction 1TheEmployment-BasedImmigrationSystem 2PreferenceCategoriesandNumericalLimits 3ThePer-CountryCeiling 4ExceptionstoNumericalLimitsandthePer-CountryCeiling 4Employment-BasedImmigrationProcessing 5ImmigrantNumericalControlandLPRWaitingTimes 7Employment-BasedImmigrationTrends 8Employment-BasedImmigrantsbyPreferenceCategory 8NewArrivalsVersusAdjustmentsofStatus 9Employment-BasedImmigrantsbyCountryofOrigin 10ionalDistribution NonimmigrantsintheEmployment-BasedSystem 12OverviewofNonimmigrantWorkers 13SpecialtyOccupationWorkers:H-1BVisas 15IntracompanyTransferees:L-1Visas 18OptionalPracticalTraining(OPT) 18AssessingtheRoleofNonimmigrantWorkers 20Economic,LaborMarket,andDemographicTrends 20PolicyOptionsWithintheCurrentFramework 24TheEmployment-BasedQueue 24RevisingorEliminatingthePer-CountryCeiling 26IncreasingOverallEmployment-BasedImmigration 27MaintainingorReducingEmployment-BasedImmigration 29AdjustingEmployment-BasedImmigrationasNeeded 30AutomaticLPRStatusforSTEMWorkers 31OtherOptionsforRevisingtheCurrentEmployment-BasedSystem 32PolicyOptionsBeyondtheCurrentFramework 32Points-BasedSystems 32Place-BasedImmigrationPrograms 34ReformProposals 36TheJordanCommission 36RecentComprehensiveReformProposals 38S.2611fromthe109thCongress(2006) 38S.1639fromthe110thCongress(2007) 38S.744fromthe113thCongress(2013) 39OtherRecentReformProposals 40SelectedEmployment-BasedLegislationinthe115thCongress(2017-2019) 40SelectedEmployment-BasedLegislationinthe116thCongress(2019-2021) 41SelectedEmployment-BasedLegislationinthe117thCongress(2021-present) 41ConcludingObservations 43 USEmploymentBasedImmigrationPolicyFigure1.NumberofEBImmigrants,byPreferenceCategory 9Figure2.PercentageofEBImmigrantsWhoAdjustedStatus,byPreferenceCategory 10Figure3.OccupationsofEBImmigrantsfromTopFiveOriginCountries 12asIssuedforHBandLNonimmigrantWorkersFYFYandF-1NonimmigrantsEmployedviaOPT,FY2007-FY2019 14Figure5.ApprovedEmployerPetitionsforH-1BWorkers,FY2000-FY2020 16Table1.Employment-BasedImmigrationPreferenceSystem 3Table2.VisaBulletinFinalActionDatesforEBImmigrants,April2022 7grantsbyTopCountriesofOrigin Table4.Native-BornandForeign-BornWorkersintheU.S.LaborForce,1990and2020 23Table5.Employment-BasedQueue—PrincipalImmigrantsOnly 25Table6.Employment-BasedQueue—PrincipalandDerivativeImmigrants 26AuthorInformation 45 USEmploymentBasedImmigrationPolicyCongressionalResearchService1rtheUnitedStatesgrantslawfulpermanentresidentLPRstatusorgreencardsto140,000employment-based(EB)immigrantsandtheirfamilymembers.1LPRscanliveandworkpermanentlyintheUnitedStatesandcanbecomeU.S.citizensthroughthenaturalizationprocess.2Thispathwayispartofabroaderpermanentimmigrationsystemestablishedbyfederallaw—aspartoftheImmigrationandNationalityActINAthatlimitsannualworldwidepermanentimmigrationto675,000persons.3ExemptionsfromthislimitandthegrantingofLPRstatustoqualifiedrefugees,asylees,andothersresultsinroughly1millionforeignnationalsreceivinggreencardseachyear.ymentbasedimmigrantsacquireLPRstatusthroughoneoffivepreferencecategoriesthreehierarchicalcategoriesbasedonqualificationsandneededskills(EB1,EB2,andEB3);ahodgepodgespecialimmigrantcategory(EB4);andanimmigrantinvestorcategory(EB5).Eachcategoryisnumericallylimitedandhasitsowneligibilityrequirements.4Thecurrent00annualEBimmigrantlimitwasestablishedin1990.Sincethen,U.S.grossdomesticproduct(GDP)hasmorethandoubledandtechnologicalinnovationhasexpandedthroughoutallsectorsoftheUSandglobaleconomyfuelinggrowingdemandforskilledworkers.U.S.employershaveincreasinglysoughtworkerswithscientificandtechnologicalskills,andforeignbornworkershaveassumedaprominentroleintheUS.labormarket.Aspartofthistrend,U.S.employershaveincreasinglyreliedonnonimmigrant(temporary)workers.5Foreign-borngraduatestudents,whosometimesworkintheUnitedStatesfollowinggraduation,typicallyoutnumbernative-borngraduatestudentsintechnicaldisciplinesatmanyU.S.universities.6TheimmigrantandnonimmigrantworkforcesarelinkedbecauseU.S.employerscansponsorcertainnonimmigrantworkers,foreignstudents,andotherforeignnationalsforemployment-basedgreencards.Becausecurrentdemandforemployment-basedgreencardsfarexceedstheINA’sannualallocationasizablewaitinglineorEBqueuehasemerged(seethe“TheEmployment-BasedQueue”sectionbelow).7Thequeuecomprisesprospectiveemployment-basedimmigrantsandtheiraccompanyingfamilymemberswhohavebeenapprovedforagreencardbutbecauseofstatutorynumericallimitsmightwaityearsorevendecadestoreceiveone.WhilemostemploymentbasedimmigrantshavecollegedegreestheINAallowsupto,000workersinhigh-demandoccupationstoacquireLPRstatuswithintheEB3preferencecategoryINA(d),8U.S.C.§1151(d).Theexactnumbergrantedeachyeardeviatesfromthislimitforreasonsexplainedinsectionstofollow.Inthisreport,thetermsimmigrant,LPR,andgreencardholderareusedinterchangeably.2Formoreinformation,seeCRSReportR43366,U.S.NaturalizationPolicy.3INA§201,8U.S.C.§1151.TheINAwasenactedasActofJune27,1952,Ch.477,andhasbeensinceamended.4INA§203(b);8U.S.C.§1153(b).5NonimmigrantsareforeignnationalsadmittedtotheUnitedStatesforaspecificpurposeandalimitedperiod.Theyincludetourists,students,diplomats,agriculturalworkers,andexchangevisitors.Nonimmigrantworkersarediscussedinthe“NonimmigrantsintheEmployment-BasedSystem”sectionbelow.SeealsoCRSReportR45040,Immigration:Nonimmigrant(Temporary)AdmissionstotheUnitedStates.SeeforexampleNationalFoundationforAmericanPolicyTheImportanceofInternationalStudentstoAmericanScienceandEngineering,October2017.7Inthisreport,queuereferstopersonswhoarewaitingtoadvanceintheprocessofobtainingLPRstatusbecauseofthenumericallimitsandper-countryceilingspecifiedintheINA.Incontrast,backlogreferstopersonswaitingduetoadministrativeprocessing.Backlogsexpandorcontractdependingonhowagenciesutilizetheirpersonnel.CongressionalResearchService2withoutholdingacollegedegree.8Someimmigrationpolicyobserversconsiderthisrelativelylimitedallocationinadequatetomeetthemuchgreaterdemandforsuchworkers,andtheycitethelackoflegalimmigrationoptionsmorebroadlyforfosteringthesizableunauthorizedworkerpopulationintheUnitedStates.9Therehaslongbeencongressionalinterestinrevisingthepermanentemployment-basedimmigrationsystemwhilenotdisadvantagingnative-bornworkers.Somelegislativeproposalshavebeenlimitedtoadjustingspecificannualnumericlimitsforemployment-basedimmigrants.Othersuldinvolvebroaderreformstothepermanentimmigrationsystembyforexampleincreasingthenumberofemployment-basedimmigrantswhilereducinglimitsoreliminatingcategoriesforotherimmigranttypes.Otherproposalsinvolvechanginghowimmigrantworkersareselected.Thisreportbeginsbyexplainingthepermanentemployment-basedimmigrationsystem,itsnumericallimits,anditsprocesses.Itnextdescribeskeyemployment-basedimmigrationtrends,includingabriefreviewofrelevanteconomicanddemographictrends.Thereportthendiscussesseveralcategoriesofnonimmigrant(temporary)workersthatareintertwinedwiththepermanentimmigrationsystem.Itcontinueswithareviewofpolicyproposalsforrevisingemployment-basedimmigration,includingthekeyfindingsofa1997congressionalcommissiononimmigrationreform.Thereportthendiscusseskeyelementsofprominentimmigrationreformbillsintroducedsince2000thatpertaintoemployment-basedimmigration.Itendswithconcludingobservations.TheEmploymentBasedImmigrationSystemEmployment-basedimmigrationoccurswithinabroadersystemofpermanentimmigrationthatembodiesfourmajorprinciples:reunifyingfamilies,admittingindividualswithneededskills,providinghumanitarianassistance,anddiversifyingimmigrantflowsbycountryoforigin.10TheseprinciplesarereflectedintheINA,whichauthorizescorrespondingpathwaysforacquiringLPRstatusaccordingtoeachprinciple.Familyreunificationoccursprimarilythroughfamily-sponsoredimmigration.11Admittingindividualswithneededskillsoccursprimarilythroughemployment-basedimmigration.Humanitarianassistanceoccursprimarilythroughtherefugeeandasylumprograms.12Origin-countrydiversityoccursmostdirectlythroughthediversityimmigrantvisa.13TheINAplacesnumericallimitsontheannualnumberofgreencardsthatmaybeissuedundereachofthefiveEBpreferencecategories.Inaddition,aper-countryceiling(describedinthe“ThePer-CountryCeiling”sectionbelow)limitsgreencardissuancebycountryoforigin.Statutoryprovisions(describedbelow)allowthenumericlimitsandper-countryceilingtobebreachedforimmigrantcategoriesandorigincountriesifcertainconditionsaremet.8INA§203(b)(3)(B),8U.S.C.§1153(b)(3)(B).9See,forexample,AmericanImmigrationCouncil,WhyDon’tImmigrantsApplyforCitizenship?ThereisNoLineforManyUndocumentedImmigrants,FactSheet,October7,2021.10Foramorecompletediscussionofpermanentlegalimmigration,seeCRSReportR42866,PermanentLegalImmigrationtotheUnitedStates:PolicyOverview.11Formoreinformation,seeCRSReportR43145,U.S.Family-BasedImmigrationPolicy.12Formoreinformation,seeCRSReportRL31269,RefugeeAdmissionsandResettlementPolicy;andCRSReportR45539,Immigration:U.S.AsylumPolicy.3Formoreinformation,seeCRSReportR45973,TheDiversityImmigrantVisaProgram.Immigrantdiversityisalsoaddressedthroughthe7%per-countryceilingdiscussedbelow.CongressionalResearchService3eferenceCategoriesandNumericalLimitsTable1presentstheeligibilityrequirementsandannualnumericallimitsforeachofthefiveemploymentbasedpreferencecategoriesTheEB1,EB2,andEB3categoriesareeachlimitedto040,sumto120,120,andaccountfor86%ofthe140,000totalEBgreencardsavailableannuallyThesethreecategoriesareoftenthefocusofcongressionalattentiononemployment-basedimmigration(see“OtherRecentReformProposals”sectionbelow).leEmploymentBasedImmigrationPreferenceSystem(TotalWorldwideLevelof140,000)CategoryINAEligibilityCriteriaAnnualNumericalLimittTheEBandEB5categoriesareeachlimitedto9,940,sumto19,880,andaccountfortheremainingoftheemployment-basedannuallimit.TheEB4specialimmigrantcategoryincludesforeignnationalsinvariousoccupationsaswellaspersonsadmittedprimarilyonhumanitariangrounds.14TheEB5immigrantinvestorcategorytechnicallyfallswithintheemploymentbasedimmigrationsystem,butrepresentsaseparateimmigration-relatedprogramthatincentivizesforeignfinancialinvestmentandjobcreation.15MostofthisreportfocusesontheEB1,EB2,andEB3preferencecategories.Thenumberofforeignnationalsreceivingemployment-basedgreencardshasalsolongbeenaffectedbytwostatutesthatprovidedhumanitarianimmigrationreliefforcertainindividualsfacingpoliticaloppression:theNicaraguanandCentralAmericanReliefAct(NACARA)16andthe14ForbackgroundontheEB4category,see“LegislativeHistoryoftheSpecialImmigrantCategory”inCRSReportR43725,IraqiandAfghanSpecialImmigrantVisaPrograms.15FormoreinformationontheEB5category,seeCRSReportR44475,EB-5ImmigrantInvestorVisa.AwasenactedonNovemberandinterim SEmploymentBasedImmigrationPolicyCongressionalResearchService4StudentProtectionActCSPATograntforeignnationalsLPRstatusunderthesetwostatuteswithoutexceedingINAlimitsbothlawsprovidedeligibleindividualswithLPRstatusintheinitialyearsfollowingenactment,andthen“repaid”thoseadditionalLPRnumbersusingannualoffsetsagainstotherLPRpathwaysAlmostalloftheimmigrantvisanumbersusedunderNACARAhavebeenfullyoffset18andallofthoseusedundertheCSPAhavebeenfullyoffset.19tryCeilingNAfurtherspecifiesapercountryceilingorcapwhichlimitsthenumberofimmigrantsfromanysinglecountryforallfiveemployment-basedpreferencecategoriescombinedto7%oftheannuallimit.20Theper-countrylevelisnotaquotaforindividualcountries,aseachcountryintheworldcouldnotreceiveoftheoveralllimit.Rather,accordingtotheDepartmentofStateDOS,“thecountrylimitationservestoavoidmonopolizationofvirtuallyalltheannuallimitationbyapplicantsfromonlyafewcountries,”andisnot“aquotatowhichanyparticularcountryisentitled.”21stoNumericalLimitsandthePerCountryCeilingheINAcontainsseveralprovisionstodistributeunusedemploymentbasedvisanumbersFirstunusedvisanumbersforeachemploymentbasedcategoryrolldowntothenextpreferencecategoryThusunusedEBvisanumbersrolldownforuseintheEB2category,andunusedEB2visanumbersrolldownforuseintheEB3category.UnusedvisanumbersintheEB4andEB5categoriesrolluptotheEB1category.22regulationsimplementingthelawwentintoeffectonJune21,1999.NACARAprovidesimmigrationbenefitsandrelieffromdeportationtocertainNicaraguansCubansSalvadoransGuatemalansnationalsofformerSovietbloccountries,andtheirdependentswhoarrivedintheUnitedStatesseekingasylum.17P.L.102-404.BetweenFY1998andFY2020,261,665personshavereceivedLPRstatusunderNACARA:71,436underSection202oftheactSalvadoriansGuatemalansandformerSovietbloccountrynationals)and190,229underSection203NicaraguansandCubansSeeDHSYearbookofImmigrationStatistics,multipleyears,Table7.NACARAreducesbythenumberofimmigrantvisanumbersthatcanbeallocatedannuallybothfortheEB3otherworkerpreferencecategoryfromtoandforthediversityimmigrantvisa(from55,000to50,000).ForFY2022thisreductionforbothannuallimitswillbelimitedto150visas.U.S.DepartmentofState,VisaBulletinForNovember2021.9CSPArequiredthattheannualper-countrylimitforChinabereducedby1,000untilsuchaccumulatedallotmentequaledthenumberofaliens(54,396,CSPATotal)acquiringLPRstatusundertheact.Consequently,eachyear,300immigrantvisasweredeductedfromtheEB3and700fromtheEB5employment-basedpreferencecategoriesforChinatoaccountforChinesestudentsreceivingLPRstatusundertheCSPA,largelybetweenFY1993andFY1996.TheCPSAtotalwasalsooffsetbythenumberoffamily-sponsoredandemploymentbasedimmigrantvisasthatwerenotallocatedtoChina(mainland,notincludingTaiwan)comparedtoitsannualupperlimitof25,600asnotedabove.SeeDOS,VisaOffice,“ReportoftheVisaOffice2007,”OffsetinthePer-CountryNumericalLevelforChina-MainlandBornImmigrantVisas(PerSection2(d)ofPub.L.102-404);andDOS,VisaOffice,AnnualNumericalLimitsforFiscalYear2020.InFY2021,thesetwooffsetsfullyrecapturedallLPRsgrantedundertheCSPA.20INA§202(a)(2);8U.S.C.§1152.The7%per-countryceilingalsoappliesseparatelytofamily-sponsoredpreferenceimmigrants.Forexample,iftheannualnumericallimitsforfamily-sponsoredpreferenceandemployment-basedimmigrantsinagivenyearwere226,000and140,000,respectively,thetotalnumberofsuchimmigrantsfromanysinglecountrywouldbeinitiallylimitedto25,620,whichisequalto(7%x226,000)+(7%x140,000).Thisreportusesper-countryceilinginthesingularform,buttechnicallytwoceilingsexist:oneforforeignstatesandtheotherfordependentforeignstates.Forthelatter—whichencompassesanycolony,component,ordependentareaofaforeignstate,suchastheAzoresandMadeiraIslandsofPortugalandMacauofthePeople’sRepublicofChina—theper-countryceilingis2%.21DOSBureauofConsularAffairs,OperationoftheImmigrantNumericalControlProcess,undated,p.3.22INA§203(b)(1);8U.S.C.§1153(b)(1).UnusedEB3andEB4visanumbersdonotrolldown. USEmploymentBasedImmigrationPolicyCongressionalResearchService5eINAincreasestheemploymentbasedannuallimitbythenumberoffamilysponsoredvisanumbersthatremainunusedattheendofthepriorfiscalyear.23Asaresult,annuallimitsforbothemploymentbasedandfamilysponsoredimmigrantscanvaryInFY020,forexample,122,000family-sponsoredimmigrantvisanumberswerenotusedbecauseofcircumstancesassociatedwiththeCOVID-19pandemic.24Theseunusedvisanumbersfellacrosstoemployment-basedimmigrants,increasingtheFY2021annuallimitfrom140,000to262,000.25Third,iftotalavailablevisanumbersforallfivepreferencecategoriesexceedthenumberofapplicantsinanyfiscalyearquarterthepercountryceilingdoesnotapplyfortheremainderofthatquarter’savailablevisanumbers.26ThisallowsnationalsfromoversubscribedcountrieslikeIndiaandChinatoreceivemorethanthe7%maximumlimitthattheywouldotherwisebeentitledtoor%x40,000)ifnationalsfromothercountriesusedalltheiravailablevisanumbers.Asaresultofallthreeoftheseprovisions,forexample,thenumberofIndiannationalsreceivingLPRstatusthroughtheEB1categorywas10,967inFY2018,9,008inFY2019,and17,014inFY2020.27ploymentBasedImmigrationProcessinguireLPRstatusemployersandprospectiveimmigrantsmustcompleteamultistepprocessinvolvingseveralfederalagenciesTheDepartmentofLaborDOL),EmploymentandTrainingAdministrationadjudicatesapplicationsforanyrequiredlaborcertificationsthatserveasapreliminaryscreening(discussedinmoredetailbelow).TheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity’s(DHS’s)U.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServices(USCIS)adjudicatesallEBimmigrantpetitionsaswellasadjustmentofstatusapplicationsforprospectiveimmigrantswhoresideintheUnitedStates.28TheDepartmentofState’s(DOS’s)BureauofConsularAffairsadjudicatesimmigrantvisaapplicationsforprospectiveimmigrantswhoresideabroad.29DOSisalsoresponsiblefortheallocation,enumeration,andassignmentofallnumericallylimitedvisanumbers(seethe“ImmigrantNumericalControl”sectionbelow).3023INA§201(d)(2)(C);8U.S.C.§1151(d)(2)(C).24Formoreinformation,seeCRSInsightIN11362,COVID-19-RelatedSuspensionofImmigrantEntry.25DOS,AnnualNumericalLimits,FY-2021,undated.Fallacrossprovisionsworkdifferentlyforfamily-sponsoredpreferenceimmigrants.BecauseofastatutoryquirkintheINA,unusedemployment-basedvisanumbersthatfallacrossforusebyfamily-sponsoredpreferenceimmigrantsareeffectivelylost.Formoreinformation,seeAssessingFourDepartmentofStateMethodstoComputeRecapturableImmigrant