PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 3012: Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2011

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 3012: Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2011

112th Congress · introduced 2011-09-22 · Immigration · Latest: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 293.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2011-09-22 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Chaffetz, Jason [R-UT-3] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 860 (2011): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, HR3012 (2011-11-29), Passed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 293. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2011

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on November 18, 2011. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2011 - 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. Amends the Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992 to eliminate the provision requiring the reduction of annual Chinese (PRC) immigrant visas to offset status adjustments under such Act. Sets forth the following transition period for employment-based second and third preference (EB-2 and EB-3) immigrant visas: (1) for FY2012, 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 FY2010; (2) for FY2013, 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 FY2011; and (3) for FY2014, 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. 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. Provides that the amendments made by this Act will take place as if enacted on September 30, 2011, and shall apply beginning in FY2012.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2011

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Chaffetz, Jason [R-UT-3] · 11 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Glenn Thompson (R-PA)

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (1)
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong112-hr3012 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112