Senator Ron Johnson recently introduced a bill that could provide an alternative way for temporary work visas to be distributed. In addition to increasing the number of visas available for temporary foreign workers, it would shift the oversight responsibility and decision making power from the federal government to the states. The following paper examines the implications of this proposal as well as its potential economic effects.
The State Sponsored Visa Pilot Program Act of 2017
Senator Johnson’s bill, titled the State Sponsored Visa Pilot Program Act of 2017, would create a new immigration program for temporary foreign workers (called nonimmigrant workers). Currently, businesses with operations in the United States must petition the federal government to hire foreign workers. This process involves significant paperwork and fees, and can also pose a barrier to smaller companies with limited resources. Senator Johnson’s pilot program would serve as a different model: participating states would sponsor temporary foreign workers directly and have the authority to supervise and design their own nonimmigrant worker programs.
Read the full article from American Action Forum: The Economic Impact Of State-Sponsored Work Visas
Read the report from New American Economy and the American Enterprise Institute: Immigration and American Jobs
