SENATE BILL: Immigration Reform Act of 2020 (Passed)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

SENATE BILL

To reform the immigration system into Atlasia

Be it enacted in both Houses of Congress Assembled,

Section 1: Name
1. This bill may be referred to as the "Immigration Reform Act of 2020"

Section 2: Categories of legal immigration to Atlasia
1. The following categories of legal permanent immigration to the Republic of Atlasia are hereby established:
a) Family Reunification
b) Job based immigration
c) Other immigration
2. This act shall not alter the composition or requirements for non-immigrant visas or for visas intended for temporary workers or students

Section 3: Family Reunification immigration
1. Family reunification visas may only be issued to the unmarried children or to the spouse of an Atlasian citizen or permanent resident who has been living in the Republic of Atlasia for no less than 5 years.
2. Family reunification visas shall be capped at no more than 300 000 per year.
3. During the application process for family reunification, priority shall be given to the foreign relatives of Atlasian citizens that have had no criminal records in the Republic of Atlasia for the past 10 years

Section 4: Job immigration
1. Job immigration into the Republic of Atlasia shall be based on a points based system. All applicants who score 67 or more points shall be awarded a job immigration visa.

2. People awarded a Job immigration visa may also award another job immigration visa to their spouse, regardless of whether their spouse fulfills the necessary requirements or not

3a. Up to 24 points may be awarded for proficiency in the English language; 6 each for Reading comprehension, Writing, Listening and Speaking.
3b. Immigrants scoring below an IELTS level of 5.5 (or equivalent) many not apply for a job immigration visa.
3c. Points shall be awarded for scoring 5.5 or above in each of the 4 categories described in section 2.3a; with 2 points for scoring between 5.5 and 5.99; 4 points for scoring between 6 and 6.99, 5 points for scoring between 7 and 7.99 and 6 points for scoring 8 or more points
3d. Prospective immigrants with a job offer in the state of Puerto Rico may be waived from this requirement if they so desire, but if so it shall be replaced with equivalent requirements of proficiency in the Spanish language

4. Up to 25 points may be awarded for education proficiency, according to the following equivalency list:
a) High School diploma: 5 points
b) 2 year apprenticeship after high school: 10 points
c) 3 year college degree after high school: 15 points
d) 4 year Bachelor's degree: 20 points
e) Double Bachelor: 22 points
f) Master's degree: 23 points
g) PHD: 25 points

5a. Up to 15 points may be awarded for prior job experience on an skilled job:
a) Less than 1 year of job experience: 0 points
b) Between 1 and 2 years of job experience: 9 points
c) Between 2 and 3 years of job experience: 11 points
d) Between 3 and 6 years of job experience: 13 points
e) 6 or more years of job experience: 15 points
5b. Skilled job shall be defined as a management job; a professional job that usually calls for a college degree (for example doctors or architects) or a technical job that usually calls for a college diploma or apprenticeship (for example plumbers or electricians)
5c. Part time jobs, defined as jobs comprising less than 30 hours per week of work; shall count as half for the purposes of counting the years from section 3.5a

6a. Up to 12 points may be awarded for an applicant's age. Applicants between the ages of 18 and 35 shall be awarded the full 12 points. For each year after that, the number of points awarded shall be reduced by 1 per year, until reaching 0 at age 47.
6b. No persons under the age of 18 may apply for a job immigration visa to the Republic of Atlasia

7. Up to 15 extra points shall be awarded to any workers who attempt to immigrate to the Republic of Atlasia with a job offer for a job that is full time and skilled. These immigrants shall receive the full 15 points, everyone else shall receive 0 points

8. Up to 10 points may be awarded for extra requirements. Each of these requirements shall give the applicant an extra 5 points unless specified otherwise:
-Their spouse having a 5.5 level of competence in an IELTS English test. This requirement may be swapped by an equivalent Spanish requirement for applicants intending to immigrate to the state of Puerto Rico
-The applicant or their spouse having completed high school or a college degree in Atlasia
-Having any sort of legal job experience in Atlasia for at least one year shall award 10 points in this section
-Having a relative living legally in the Republic of Atlasia. Relative shall be defined as the applicant's sibling, parent, grandparent, child or grandchild.

9. If the number of applicants surpasses the maximum amount of people who may apply for an immigrant visa, priority shall be given to the highest scoring applicants. In the case of a score tie; the applicants with job offers shall be admitted first.

Section 5. Other immigration
1. The following extra categories of permanent immigration to the Republic of Atlasia are hereby retained, with their current requirements:
a) Outstandingly skilled people, as currently immigrating through the EB1 visa program
b) Certain special categories of immigrants, as currently immigrating through the EB4 visa program
c) Investors, as currently immigrating through the EB5 visa program
2. A new immigration visa shall be created, targeted at retirees who desire to move to the Republic of Atlasia. People immigrating through this visa shall prove that they are financially independent, able to afford their retirement in Atlasia and may not be allowed to take any job offers in Atlasia. The details of this visa shall be devised by the department in charge of internal policy in Atlasia

Section 6: Miscellaneous repeals and adjustments
1. Section 5 of the Come Out of the Shadows Act is hereby repealed
2. The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is hereby repealed
3. The total number of immigrant visas issued per year by the Atlasian government may not be more than 1/500th of the Atlasian population, as established in the last census available
4. At the discretion of the department responsible for internal policy, the total number of visas available may be reduced by 10% for every year the unemployment rate stays above 5%. Any reduction in the total number of visas shall be accompanied by a proportional reduction in the number of family reunification visas.

Section 7: Enactment
1. This bill shall become enacted on July 1st, 2020

Sponsor: Tack50
Senate Designation: SB24:01

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The Senator has 24 hours to commence advocacy and other members should post their initial comments by the end of the subsequent 48 hours.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

If I am not allowed to post here since Im a member of the house Ill delete the post but here's my concern:

I am not Polnut.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

SENATE BILL

To reform the immigration system into Atlasia

Be it enacted in both Houses of Congress Assembled,

Section 1: Name
1. This bill may be referred to as the "Immigration Reform Act of 2020"

Section 2: Categories of legal immigration to Atlasia
1. The following categories of legal permanent immigration to the Republic of Atlasia are hereby established:
a) Family Reunification
b) Job based immigration
c) Other immigration
2. This act shall not alter the composition or requirements for non-immigrant visas or for visas intended for temporary workers or students

Section 3: Family Reunification immigration
1. Family reunification visas may only be issued to the unmarried children or to the spouse of an Atlasian citizen or permanent resident; or to the unmarried brothers of an Atlasian citizen; who has been living in the Republic of Atlasia for no less than 5 years.
2. Family reunification visas shall be capped at no more than 300 000 per year.
3. During the application process for family reunification, priority shall be given to the foreign relatives of Atlasian citizens that have had no criminal records in the Republic of Atlasia for the past 10 years

Section 4: Job immigration
1. Job immigration into the Republic of Atlasia shall be based on a points based system. All applicants who score 67 or more points shall be awarded a job immigration visa.

2. People awarded a Job immigration visa may also award another job immigration visa to their spouse, regardless of whether their spouse fulfills the necessary requirements or not

3a. Up to 24 points may be awarded for proficiency in the English language; 6 each for Reading comprehension, Writing, Listening and Speaking.
3b. Immigrants scoring below an IELTS level of 5.5 (or equivalent) many not apply for a job immigration visa.
3c. Points shall be awarded for scoring 5.5 or above in each of the 4 categories described in section 2.3a; with 2 points for scoring between 5.5 and 5.99; 4 points for scoring between 6 and 6.99, 5 points for scoring between 7 and 7.99 and 6 points for scoring 8 or more points
3d. Prospective immigrants with a job offer in the state of Puerto Rico may be waived from this requirement if they so desire, but if so it shall be replaced with equivalent requirements of proficiency in the Spanish language

4. Up to 25 points may be awarded for education proficiency, according to the following equivalency list:
a) High School diploma: 5 points
b) 2 year apprenticeship after high school: 10 points
c) 3 year college degree after high school: 15 points
d) 4 year Bachelor's degree: 20 points
e) Double Bachelor: 22 points
f) Master's degree: 23 points
g) PHD: 25 points

5a. Up to 15 points may be awarded for prior job experience on an skilled job:
a) Less than 1 year of job experience: 0 points
b) Between 1 and 2 years of job experience: 9 points
c) Between 2 and 3 years of job experience: 11 points
d) Between 3 and 6 years of job experience: 13 points
e) 6 or more years of job experience: 15 points
5b. Skilled job shall be defined as a management job; a professional job that usually calls for a college degree (for example doctors or architects) or a technical job that usually calls for a college diploma or apprenticeship (for example plumbers or electricians)
5c. Part time jobs, defined as jobs comprising less than 30 hours per week of work; shall count as half for the purposes of counting the years from section 3.5a

6a. Up to 12 points may be awarded for an applicant's age. Applicants between the ages of 18 and 35 shall be awarded the full 12 points. For each year after that, the number of points awarded shall be reduced by 1 per year, until reaching 0 at age 47.
6b. No persons under the age of 18 may apply for a job immigration visa to the Republic of Atlasia

7. Up to 15 extra points shall be awarded to any workers who attempt to immigrate to the Republic of Atlasia with a job offer for a job that is full time and skilled. These immigrants shall receive the full 15 points, everyone else shall receive 0 points

8. Up to 10 points may be awarded for extra requirements. Each of these requirements shall give the applicant an extra 5 points unless specified otherwise:
-Their spouse having a 5.5 level of competence in an IELTS English test. This requirement may be swapped by an equivalent Spanish requirement for applicants intending to immigrate to the state of Puerto Rico
-The applicant or their spouse having completed high school or a college degree in Atlasia
-Having any sort of legal job experience in Atlasia for at least one year shall award 10 points in this section
-Having a relative living legally in the Republic of Atlasia. Relative shall be defined as the applicant's sibling, parent, grandparent, child or grandchild.

9. If the number of applicants surpasses the maximum amount of people who may apply for an immigrant visa, priority shall be given to the highest scoring applicants. In the case of a score tie; the applicants with job offers shall be admitted first.

Section 5. Other immigration
1. The following extra categories of permanent immigration to the Republic of Atlasia are hereby retained, with their current requirements:
a) Outstandingly skilled people, as currently immigrating through the EB1 visa program
b) Certain special categories of immigrants, as currently immigrating through the EB4 visa program
c) Investors, as currently immigrating through the EB5 visa program
2. A new immigration visa shall be created, targeted at retirees who desire to move to the Republic of Atlasia. People immigrating through this visa shall prove that they are financially independent, able to afford their retirement in Atlasia and may not be allowed to take any job offers in Atlasia. The details of this visa shall be devised by the department in charge of internal policy in Atlasia

Section 6: Miscellaneous repeals and adjustments
1. Section 5 of the Come Out of the Shadows Act is hereby repealed
2. The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is hereby repealed
3. The total number of immigrant visas issued per year by the Atlasian government may not be more than 1/500th of the Atlasian population, as established in the last decennial census  available. This section shall refer to the census of NPCs made by the Atlasian Census bureau; and not to the census of active players in Atlasia done by the Registrar General.
4. At the discretion of the department responsible for internal policy, the total number of visas available may be reduced by 10% for every year the unemployment rate stays above 5%. Any reduction in the total number of visas shall be accompanied by a proportional reduction in the number of family reunification visas.

Section 7: Enactment
1. This bill shall become enacted on July 1st, 2020

Sponsor Feedback: Origination
Status: Senators have 24 hours to object.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Amendment S24:04 has been adopted.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Revised:

5a. Up to 15 points may be awarded for prior job experience on an skilled job:
a) Less than 1 year of job experience: 0 points
b) Between 1 and 2 years of job experience: 9 points
c) Between 2 and 3 years of job experience: 11 points
d) Between 3 and 6 years of job experience: 13 points
e) 6 or more years of job experience: 15 points
5b. Skilled job shall be defined as a management job; a professional job that usually calls for a college degree (for example doctors or architects) or a technical job that usually calls for a college diploma or apprenticeship (for example plumbers or electricians)
5c. Part time jobs, defined as jobs comprising less than 30 hours per week of work; shall count as half for the purposes of counting the years from section 3.5a
5d. Medical doctors who have work or intend to work within 90 days after arrival in an area, as determined by the Atlasian Census Bureau, to be rural or impoverished, shall be awarded an additional 7 points.

So far this is my preferred proposal, but I am open to further refinement. This would serve the double purpose of both revitalizing dying rural areas and bringing them services like doctors.

So is that friendly or hostile?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators have 24 hours to object.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

So uh can I pick and choose which parts are friendly and which are not? Or is it an all or nothing deal?

It was done pre-reset.

I am up for taking a crack at it if you are.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I don't support that restriction of family visas.

I object to the amendment.

As for the bill itself, I may have more of a problem of letting large tech companies have larger control on our immigration system but I also understand the economic need for it to a certain extent.

Are you objecting to Scott's amendment, Jimmy's amendment or both?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Scott's amendment from the previous page, I think its S24:08 is adopted.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I feel tacks pain.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

With one vote in favor, two votes opposed, and one abstention, the amendment is rejected.

Debate resumes.

Wait what?

3.) If judged hostile by the sponsor, or if a Senator has objected, a vote shall be started by the PPT once the amendment has been on the floor twenty four hours. The vote shall last for three days or until a majority has voted in favor or against the amendment, at which point Senators who have voted shall be prohibited from changing their votes and the vote shall be declared final.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Nay

Only to get us closer to a majority. as I said before, there are parts I like and parts I don't but another abstain will just delay things.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Vote on Amendment S24:11 by Scott

Aye (4): NC Yankee, Scott, Tack, and YE
Nay (1): Jimmy
Abstain (1): LT

Didn't Vote (0):

The amendment has been adopted.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

So next item for discussion here? Lets not lose momentum on this bill.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators have 24 hours to object.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The amendment is adopted.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators have 24 hours to object to the Tack amendment.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Well with YE objecting in full I will not bother doing a partial objection though I may take the parts from Jimmy's amendment that I agree with and compiling them into a counterproposal.

As for the bill itself, I may have more of a problem of letting large tech companies have larger control on our immigration system but I also understand the economic need for it to a certain extent.

Also family reunification visas are limited to 480,000 per year per this and is about 65% of immigrants in total. This would drop it down to 300,000. Not on board with this probably.

Could you elaborate on how this would let "large tech companies have larger control on our immigration system"?

As for that, yeah; that is (part of) the point of the bill; this would shift Atlasia's focus on immigration from family reunification to skills-based immigration. I think overall the numbers actually expand the number of visas by a very small amount if I am doing my math correctly

Popping in to the old chamber to advocate against repealing section 5 of Come out of the Shadows.

Those visas are specific to Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador. They are part of a program combined with 5 years of high priority foreign development assistance to discourage illegal immigration by improving living conditions there, improving Atlasia's relationship with their governments, and creating a culture of legal immigration between Atlasia and those three countries. It doesn't impact immigration from other countries.

I'd like to ask Senators to reconsider repealing that.

Given that section has a sunset provision and how it has been in place for a long time already, I suppose we could just make it expire a year earlier (so in 2020 instead of 2021); and possibly amend the start of this bill to January 1st 2021.

The more merit based the immigration system, the more control large employers have in like Silicon Valley over hiring immigrants and I'm not sure it's worth cutting back on family immigration just to increase the number of merit visas (which to be fair for better or for worse is also often necessary).

Not necessarily so, it all depends on how much discretion you give to said silicon valley types.

For instance, the basis of my support for merit based system is on the presumption that the levels are determined not just by handouts/give aways to corporate America Atlasia, but by a committee or consortium composed of business, labor, and relevant or important groups.

That way you minimize intentional displacement of experienced workers and/or wage depression as is often the objective and the result when corporations dictate policy with no countervailing advocacy. Its about balance of interests.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The amendment is adopted.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

If we are going to roll forward with such a board then we should decide who all should be on it? Business and labor interests are the easy ones. Is there anyone else?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Like to be more specific are there any other interest or advocacy groups that it would be wise to include in such a thing?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators have 24 hours to object.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The Amendment is adopted.