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and numerous barriers to residency in place for international students to stay after graduation, America's outdated immigration policy could allow other countries to out-compete us by attracting and keeping the best and brightest there and not here.
Rush for H-1B visas is on
Applicants for H-1B visas — those that allow foreign workers with at least a bachelor’s degree to temporarily work at specialty jobs in the US — are facing fierce competition this year. “There is a 60 percent increase in cases we receive this year compared with last year,” Los Angeles-based… Read More
HIGH-SKILLED IMMIGRANTS IN DELAWARE
Learn more about the need for high-skilled immigration reform at www.LetPJStay.com DELAWARE FACES A LARGE STEM SHORTAGE There are more STEM job openings than unemployed STEM workers: From 2009 to 2011, 3.8 STEM job openings were posted online in Delaware for every 1 unemployed STEM worker in the… Read More
How U.S. immigration laws push American startups out of America
All it took was a few days in New York City for P.J. Cobut to fall in love with America. For a kid growing up in a sleepy, rural town in Belgium, the Big Apple’s frenetic bustle was intoxicating. He loved it. All he wanted was to go back, this… Read More
Nathan Bomey: Visa policy threatens Michigan economy
In a post-industrial, global economy, the most vital asset for companies is talent. So it’s remarkable that U.S. immigration policy forces tens of thousands of high-skilled foreign workers to leave this country every year, effectively handing an incredible advantage to foreign competitors. Lest you think this is simply a Silicon… Read More
HIGH-SKILLED IMMIGRANTS IN COLORADO
Learn more about the need for high-skilled immigration reform at www.LetPJStay.com COLORADO FACES A LARGE STEM SHORTAGE There are more STEM job openings than unemployed STEM workers: From 2009 to 2011, 1.5 STEM job openings were posted online in Colorado for every 1 unemployed STEM worker in… Read More
Brazilian Innovator & UC Boulder Grad Faces Immigration Hurdles While Building Career in U.S.
Pedro Sorrentino had been working with tech startups in his native São Paulo, Brazil when he decided he wanted to move to the United States and pursue an education and a career change. “I wanted to move here because America was built on immigrants,” he says. But despite our history,… Read More
Immigration laws should strengthen US, not its rivals
Yesterday marked the close of the five-day filing period when U.S. companies could apply for H-1B visas to bring high-skilled workers from around the world to work here next year. The annual cap was exceeded in those few days, and a lottery will be held to determine which workers… Read More
Getting a Visa Took Longer Than Building Instagram, Says Immigrant Co-Founder
Instagram almost didn’t happen, and the U.S.’s convoluted immigration system would have been to blame. Before Mike Krieger created the wildly popular photo-sharing app with business partner Kevin Systrom, he was living in Silicon Valley on a temporary work visa. If not for some lucky breaks navigating the country’s immigration process,… Read More
Michigan’s global economy
Politicians are apt to hold press conferences for projects that announce even a few hundred jobs. Can you imagine the headline for a government action that produced 15,000 jobs that paid salaries ranging from $60,000 to even $100,000? Research from the Partnership for a New American Economy—a collection of forward-thinking… Read More
HIGH-SKILLED IMMIGRANTS IN CALIFORNIA
Learn more about the need for high-skilled immigration reform at www.LetPJStay.com CALIFORNIA FACES A LARGE STEM SHORTAGE There are more STEM job openings than unemployed STEM workers: From 2009 to 2011, 1.4 STEM job openings were posted online in California for every 1 unemployed STEM worker in the… 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.
