S. 1298: Religious Workforce Protection Act

The Religious Workforce Protection Act is a bill proposed to help certain religious workers who are facing delays in getting their immigrant visas and adjusting their status to permanent resident. Here’s a breakdown of what the bill aims to do:

Extension of Nonimmigrant Status

The bill allows religious workers—who are either the main person (principal) or related (derivative beneficiary) to an immigrant petition—to apply for an extension of their nonimmigrant status. This extension can be granted by the Secretary of Homeland Security while their applications for permanent residency or immigrant visas are being processed. This is relevant for those who have a pending application under a specific preference category for religious workers.

Conforming Amendments

The bill makes a modification to an existing law to clarify that the provisions for extending nonimmigrant status may apply even if the original 5-year limit has been reached, except in cases specified by this bill.

Job Flexibility for Religious Workers

It allows certain religious workers with delayed residency applications to have limited flexibility regarding their employment. This means that they may be able to change jobs more easily while waiting for their residency applications to be processed.

Exemption from Foreign Residence Requirement

If a religious worker has left the United States because they reached the 5-year limit of nonimmigrant status, they will not be required to fulfill a one-year foreign residence requirement typically needed before they can apply for a visa again. This exemption is intended to facilitate their return and adjustment of status.

Overall, the bill aims to address the specific issues facing religious workers who have encountered long backlogs in the immigration process, helping them maintain their status and work opportunities while awaiting resolution of their immigration cases.

Relevant Companies

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