Given the long wait times for Green Cards. Wouldn't that effectively double the h1b quota ?

H1B's have to go though long process of LCA's, ads in the newpapers, notices etc before their visa is approved. Would H4's have to go though this also? If not I can see this being abused by offshoring companies as loophole in the system.

I don't see how this is 'first step' towards a better immigration policy. Current H1B system is not used in the way it is intended for the most part. Its modern day serfdom used to attract desperate educated people from poor countries. Why not give them green cards and let them actually take advantage of american system and create jobs instead of treating them like 2nd class citizens with no rights, no voice, no dreams.

Well according to the DHS site, the H1-B employee need to have started the process of becoming a permanent resident so it seems less susceptible to being abused by companies trying to bring in people from abroad and using this to double their quota.

There are only long green card wait times for people born in India and China (maybe the Philippines?). Most other people should be able to get a green card in a year or two with a decent lawyer.

You have a very optimistic view. Everyone I know that went through the process took between six and ten years, in large part because INS/USCIS is so backlogged. None of them were from India, China or Philippines.

I am from Belarus and got greencard within 2 years (including waster 5 months because of wrong ads post)

9 yrs and counting... :). I've lost all motivation to do anything fun/innovative with my life at this point with my 20's spent stuck in green card queue. I just feel like a resentful shell of my former self, a product of a failed nation/people.

why it is taking so long for you? What category you are in? And what country you are from?

Do you have a masters / 5 years of experience?

Not really. Most people I know from the non-backlogged nations get their green cards in a few years. Part of having a good lawyer is knowing which processing centres to use. Some are definitely backlogged a very long time. I got mine in less than two years.

Fair enough, I don't think any of them used a lawyer at all. Perhaps engaging one would have made a significant difference.

You say "only" and then discount over half the population of the world, let alone far more than half the people trying to immigrate into the US =/

waiting times having nothing to do with "good" lawyers.

it's dictated by the gov: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/law-and-policy...

What makes you think that's not the way it's intended?