This is the system that has operated so well for the Eastern Hemisphere with the result that in only one country of the world and a few dependent subareas is there any appreciable wait for admission of qualified aliens. This bill retains separate total hemisphere numerical ceilings rather than proposing a worldwide total maximum number of admissions per year so that we can gain experience in the application of the preference system to the Western Hemisphere. If it is found that the patterns of immigration from countries of the Western Hemisphere are appropriately handled under the identical preference system used since 1965 for the Eastern Hemisphere. then the next logical step will be one numerical ceiling for the entire world. H.R. 981 also contains a provision to increase the maximum annual admissions for the subareas or colonies from 200 to 600. It is expected this feature will clean up existing backlogs for Hong Kong. the British Virgin Islands. et cetera. Other sections of the bill will clear up existing problems with Cuban refugees now in the United States and will regularize the status of a number of alien workers who have been resident in the Virgin Islands for 5 years or more. Section 2 of the bill will permit a more liberal admission of temporary workers to Guam and the southwest border areas when the Labor Department finds labor shortages in skills for which temporary aliens can qualify. These needed improvements in our plan of immigration to be accomplished by this bill are provided without any increase in the existing hemisphere ceilings170.000 for the Eastern Hemisphere and 120.000 for the Western Hemipshere. Thus our economy will not be asked to absorb additional aliens at a time when unemployment rates remain high. Mr.
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