SMARTER Act

The SMARTER Act would fundamentally restructure U.S. immigration law by eliminating the Diversity Visa Program, removing per-country caps on immigrant visas, and replacing the current family-sponsored preference system with a points-based selection process for employment-based immigrants. It establishes a new Skilled Migration and Recruitment of Talent Board within the Department of Commerce to annually determine visa quotas based on industrial labor needs, economic data, and wage growth goals. Under the proposed points system, applicants would earn credits for age, education level, English proficiency, salary offers, and extraordinary achievements, with ties broken by educational attainment and language test rankings. Additionally, the bill creates a "gold card" visa program that grants permanent residency to individuals who pay a $1 million fee or corporations that pay $2 million on their behalf, while also directing the use of artificial intelligence to identify visa overstays.