Global Competitiveness
The United States has long been the destination for the world’s most talented immigrants. Despite the last 50 years of technological advancement, American immigration policy has remained virtually unchanged, putting in danger America's global competitiveness. Yesterday's immigration policy no longer meets today’s economic needs. Only about 14 percent of all U.S. green cards are given for economic reasons, compared to more than 60 percent in Canada and Australia. With no dedicated visa for entrepreneurs and numerous barriers to residency in place for international students to stay after graduation, America's outdated immigration policy could allow other countries to out-compete us by attracting and keeping the best and brightest there and not here.
Current Immigration Policy Does Not Benefit Economy, Says Lawyer
“Nothing in immigration is straightforward,” says Martin “Marty” Lester, an immigration lawyer in the Florida panhandle. For example, you’d think that a person who serves in the U.S. military would have an easy time getting citizenship; after all, that person has put his or her life on the line for… Read More
As Colorado Considers “Seal of Biliteracy” Legislation, New Study Shows Increased Demand for Bilingual Employees in State Workforce
Denver, CO– As the Colorado legislature considers the bi-partisan Senate Bill 123, co-sponsored by Republican Sen. Kevin Priola and Democratic Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, on the creation of a state Seal of Biliteracy, New American Economy (NAE) released a study showing the growing demand for bilingual workers in the state. The Seal of Biliteracy… Read More
Business Expert: Automation, not Immigrants, Have Taken U.S. Jobs
When Fariborz “FG” Ghadar was in Silicon Valley several years ago, he saw an alarming billboard. It read: “H-1B Problems? PIVOT to Canada.” Sponsored by the Canadian government and aimed at highly skilled immigrants in the technology sector, “It essentially said, If you are having difficulty getting a visa in… Read More
GoDaddy CEO: If You’re Against Outsourcing, You Should Support U.S. Visas For Skilled Foreigners
Last week a preliminary draft order titled “Protecting American Jobs and Workers by Strengthening the Integrity of Foreign Worker Visa Programs” surfaced that targets H-1B “genius” visas. The order signaled a second wave of the Trump Administration’s immigration agenda— with potentially catastrophic effects to the U.S. economy. I’ve written and… Read More
Local Tech Companies Say Trump’s Immigration Order Is Bad For Business
As the legal battle over President Trump’s executive order on immigration moves forward in California, more than 100 tech companies — including a few in Massachusetts — have signed a legal brief opposing the travel ban. Fuze, TripAdvisor and Brightcove have all signed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court… Read More
Job Development Expert Says Immigrants ‘Absolutely Critical’ to Economic Vitality
“Immigration is critically important,” says Dr. Ioanna Morfessis, an economic development expert who has helped create 200,000 new jobs as the founder of three high-profile American economic development organizations: the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore; the Greater Phoenix Economic Council; and the Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Economic Development. “Immigration… Read More
Immigrants Vital to Help Tech Startups Become Multibillion Dollar Companies Here in the U.S.
From the moment he was offered a job at a tech startup in San Mateo, Calif. in 2013, Brazilian-born software engineer Rocir Santiago, worried that U.S. immigration policy would create unnecessary obstacles for his family and career. “The visa process is complex and uncertain. It discourages people from moving to… Read More
He Won the Lottery: One Congolese Man’s Incredible Diversity Visa Story
Bozi Kiekie grew up in a poor farming community in the war-torn Democratic Republic of The Congo, helping his family work the land while also selling bread, gasoline, and fish in order to scrape together enough money to pay for his studies. “I struggled, as everyone in the country did,”… Read More
CEO of Indianapolis Power and Light Believes Immigrants Power State Economy
After graduating from university in Puerto Rico, Rafael Sanchez and his wife sold their belongings and moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, to study law – only to realize that Fort Wayne didn’t have a law school. “When you’re young and stupid, your only due diligence is, ‘Where do we know… Read More
Smart Immigration Policy a Competitive Advantage, Says South African Immigrant Entrepreneur
Greg Fisher grew up in a small town outside Johannesburg, South Africa, where he had a successful career with Deloitte and started a corporate e-learning company that hit $1 million in annual revenues before he sold it to a large consulting firm. Now, Fisher, who was recently named one of… Read More
Impending Labor Challenges
The United States is facing demographic challenges that endanger its preeminent economic position in the world. An aging workforce threatens the vitality of the labor force. At the same time, the supply of U.S.-trained engineers is lagging behind nearly all other industrialized economies. At a time when tech-heavy and innovation driven industries are driving economic growth, the United States faces the prospect of being left behind.
Table 1: Share of Population Age 65+, 1996, 2006, 2016 and projected 2030
Table 2: Share of Undergrads Studying Engineering
Prioritizing Economic Needs
Many countries have identified the link between immigration and economic growth. For many, such moves are a matter of necessity–the domestic labor force is not sufficient for an expanding economy, and aging populations and declining fertility rates are creating labor shortages. Despite facing some of the same challenges, U.S. immigration policy has not changed to reflect our economy’s evolving needs.
Table 3: Percentage of All Permanent Residency Visas Given for Economic Reasons*
Need for a Start-Up Visa
Countries around the world, from France, to Chile, to Singapore have created visas aimed at attracting promising entrepreneurs and job creators. Despite concerns about meager job creation and business growth, however, the United States has not taken a similar step, endangering our position in the global race for talent. This situation was made worse in 2017 when the administration took the first steps to kill the International Entrepreneur Rule, a measure that would have allowed entrepreneurs with outside funding to remain in the country for 2.5 years to establish their businesses.
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