Religious Workforce Protection Act

Key Points

• This bill would let religious workers, such as ministers or church staff, stay in the U.S. longer than the current 5-year limit. It specifically helps those who have already applied for a green card but are stuck waiting for years because of government backlogs.
• It affects religious leaders and staff from other countries who work for U.S. religious groups. Under current rules, many of these workers are forced to leave the country for at least a year once their temporary visa expires, even if they have a permanent job waiting for them.
• The policy aims to prevent religious communities from losing their leaders due to paperwork delays. By allowing these workers to stay until a final decision is made on their green card, the bill ensures that churches, mosques, and temples can keep their staff without interruption.
• The bill also gives these workers more flexibility to change jobs. If they find a similar role at a different religious organization, they can take it without losing their place in line for permanent residency.
• For workers who have already been forced to leave the U.S. because their time ran out, the bill removes the rule that they must stay outside the country for a full year. This allows them to return sooner to continue their work and finish their application process.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.