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AFAIK H1B is not a longer path to becoming a citizen - it just allows you to apply for a green card alongside renewing your current visa status. The problem is that green cards are allocated according to country, and India has a huge backlog of a decade or more. Workers from other countries do not face this issue. I agree that it should be reformed, but I'm not optimistic.

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Workers from other countries do not face this issue

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That hasn't been correct until very recently to be very fair. It used to be a wait of years in the EB3 category, the lane most h1bs qualify for, and has only recently (2014 or so) shortened to a few months. And to clarify, this is just to get a green card.

it still takes 5 years after that green card to become a citizen.

Absolutely correct, it takes five years to be able to apply for citizenship for a green card holder. But a green card holder can move from job to job the way a US citizen does. So ince you have a green card, you are not submitted to the constraints of a visa.

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