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United States · Bill · S

S. 281 (115th)

Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2017

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

2 February 2017

Last action

2 February 2017 · Introduced

Status

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsors

Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT], Sen. Flake, Jeff [R-AZ], Sen. Blunt, Roy [R-MO], Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME], Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY], Sen. Harris, Kamala D. [D-CA], Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS], Sen. Heitkamp, Heidi [D-ND], Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE], Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA], Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH], Sen. Gardner, Cory [R-CO], Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS], Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR], Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI], Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL], Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]

Subjects

Immigration

Source updated

10 August 2026

Immigration

Summary

Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2017 This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) eliminate the per country numerical limitation for employment-based immigrants, and (2) increase the per country numerical limitation for family based immigrants from 7% to 15% of the total number of family-sponsored visas. The Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992 is amended to eliminate the provision requiring the reduction of annual Chinese immigrant visas to offset status adjustments under such Act. The bill establishes the following transition period for employment-based second and third preference (EB-2 and EB-3) immigrant visas: for FY2017, 15% of such visas allotted to natives of countries other than the two countries with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2011; for FY2018, 10% of such visas allotted in each category to natives of countries other than the two with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2012; and for FY2019, 10% of such visas allotted in each category to natives of countries other than the two with the largest aggregate numbers of natives obtaining such visas in FY2015. The bill sets forth the following per country distribution rules: (1) for transition period visas, not more than 25% of the total number of EB-2 and EB-3 visas for natives of a single country; and (2) for non-transition period visas, not more than 85% of EB-2 and EB-3 visas for natives of a single country. Amendments made by this bill shall take place as if enacted on September 30, 2016, and shall apply beginning in FY2017.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 2 February 2017

    Introduced

    Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 2 February 2017

    Introduced

    Introduced in Senate

    Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in Senate (text)

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  • Introduced in Senate (text)

    Introduced in Senate · EN · 2 February 2017

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

  • Introduced in Senate (PDF)

    Introduced in Senate · EN · 2 February 2017

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

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  • Introduced in Senate

    summary · EN · 2 February 2017

    Open at official source

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Sponsors

Related records

Sources

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