For Indian professionals hoping to get a US employment-based green card, the waiting period could be shockingly long.
A new analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) estimates that a new Indian applicant could face a wait of up to 179 years in the EB-2 category.
For Chinese applicants, the estimated wait could be as high as 25 years.
The huge gap is linked to the massive number of Indian applicants waiting for employment-based green cards and the limits placed on how many visas can be issued to people from each country.
Why Is the Green Card Wait So Long for Indians?
US immigration law allows around 140,000 employment-based green cards each year.
There is also a country-based limit, which generally prevents more than 7% of employment-based immigrant visas from going to nationals of a single country in a fiscal year.
This becomes a major problem for India because the number of Indian professionals seeking US permanent residency is extremely high.
According to the NFAP analysis, nearly 1 million Indians were in the employment-based immigration backlog as of December 2025.
The overall backlog in the EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 categories reached an estimated 1.26 million people, up from around 1.05 million in April 2020.
That represents an increase of about 20.6% in five years.
EB-2 Could Have the Biggest Problem
The estimated waiting time varies significantly depending on the employment-based category.
For a new highly skilled worker from India, the report estimates potential waits of:
EB-1: Around 4–5 years
EB-2: Up to 179 years
EB-3: Up to 38 years
The EB-3 category has the largest share of the overall backlog at around 30.1%, followed by EB-2 at 22.9% and EB-1 at 16.6%.
These figures highlight how difficult it can be for Indian professionals to move from temporary US work status to permanent residency.
Why Does This Matter for H-1B Workers?
Many highly skilled Indian professionals spend years working in the US on H-1B visas while waiting for their green cards.
The extremely long backlog can create uncertainty for workers and their families.
It can also create problems for US companies that want to hire and retain highly skilled foreign workers.
NFAP noted that these delays can make it harder for American businesses to attract and keep scientists, engineers and other highly skilled professionals.
Why Are Indians Hit Harder Than Many Others?
The problem is not simply the number of green cards available.
The combination of high demand from Indian professionals, country-based limits and the overall employment-based visa quota has created a particularly large backlog.
Because green cards are limited each year, applicants from countries with large numbers of employment-based applicants can end up waiting much longer.
This has become a major concern for Indian families who have already spent years building their careers in the US.
Trump’s Immigration Policies Add to the Uncertainty
The green card backlog comes at a time when the Trump administration has taken a tougher approach to immigration.
Since returning to the White House for a second term, President Donald Trump has pursued stricter immigration policies, including increased enforcement and changes affecting some visa categories.
The administration has said these measures are aimed at strengthening national security and immigration enforcement.
At the same time, critics and rights groups have raised concerns about the impact of some of these policies on immigrants and legal immigration.
The administration has also introduced new and potentially costly requirements and fees affecting certain work-visa applicants.
What Could This Mean for Indian Professionals?
For Indian workers already in the US, the green card backlog can mean years or even decades of uncertainty.
Workers may have to remain dependent on temporary immigration status while waiting for permanent residency.
For families, this can affect career decisions, long-term financial planning and the ability to settle permanently in the US.
For American employers, the backlog could also make it harder to retain experienced foreign-born workers who may eventually consider moving to countries where permanent residency is easier to obtain.
The Bigger Green Card Problem
The NFAP report shows that the US employment-based immigration system is facing a growing backlog.
With an estimated 1.26 million people waiting across EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 categories, the problem is no longer limited to a small group of applicants.
For Indian professionals, however, the situation is particularly severe.
The biggest concern is the estimated 179-year EB-2 wait, which shows just how far demand and the existing annual visa limits have moved out of balance.
