Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act

The Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act is a bill that would remove employment-based visa caps for a specific group: abused, abandoned, and neglected children who are classified as Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJs). By amending the Immigration and Nationality Act, the bill adds SIJs (the “J” category) to the set of employment-based immigrants who are not subject to direct numerical limits. In practical terms, this would allow SIJs to obtain employment-based permanent residence without being constrained by annual visa caps that apply to other employment-based categories. The bill has been introduced in the Senate (S. 1965) and thus far has no enacted status. It would impact how many SIJ-based applicants can receive employment-based visas each year, potentially accelerating their path to lawful permanent residence.