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and numerous barriers to residency in place for international students to stay after graduation, America's outdated immigration policy could allow other countries to out-compete us by attracting and keeping the best and brightest there and not here.
Conservatives Need to to Fix the Broken U.S. Immigration System
Sal Russo is the co-founder of the Tea Party Express. The U.S. immigration system is flawed and broken. Conservatives should be at the forefront of reform so the law reflects the just interests of the United States, not misty-eyed ideals of some of the liberal do-gooder reformers. What is good… Read More
It’s Time for Immigration Reform
Simply stated, immigration reform is about economic growth. In Washington state alone, if undocumented immigrants followed a path to legal citizenship it would generate more than 12,700 jobs and more than $1.1 billion for the state, according to Regional Economic Models, Inc. Vital industries are facing substantial labor… Read More
The case for a more immigrant-friendly, diverse Cincinnati
This month, the Brandery, a nationally top-10 ranked accelerator located in Over-the-Rhine, hosted a fast-paced roundtable discussion on global talent attraction, immigration reform and the need for a more diverse Cincinnati. The event was part of a national series called #iCodeImmigration: Acceleration Immigration Reform brought together locally by… Read More
Guest Opinion: Reform necessary to encourage immigrant entrepreneurs
Meaningful immigration reform will have a significant impact on job growth and the economy. According to the Kauffman Foundation, immigrants are twice as likely to start a new business as native-born Americans. Unfortunately, our current immigration policies make it exceptionally difficult for foreign entrepreneurs to establish these new businesses. We… Read More
Cincinnati region lags on immigration
Every year at the great universities in this region, we hand degrees to hundreds of students from around the globe. At the University of Cincinnati alone this spring, nearly 500 of the graduates came from more than 70 countries. Few of these graduates stay here; some must return to their… Read More
Immigration boosts business and economic growth
Many Virginians recognize the important contributions local businesses make to the state’s economy — entrepreneurs create jobs and generate revenue that benefit both the worker and consumer. Few people realize, however, how large a role immigrants play in driving this growth. Some of Virginia’s largest companies were founded by immigrants… Read More
Former NYC Mayor Bloomberg Group Rolls Out Ads Pushing Immigration Reform
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg may be out of office, but at least one project he actively participated in is still going strong. A group he backs, the Partnership for a New American Economy, is rolling out an ad campaign to push Congress to pass comprehensive… Read More
Bloomberg-linked group launches new ads for immigration overhaul
A group backed by former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg is launching a new round of ads to encourage Congress to overhaul the nation’s immigration system this year. And in an effort to target Washington insiders, the ads from the Partnership for a New American Economy will start appearing… Read More
Cincinnati Start-up Community Talks Immigration
Panel touts Cincinnati’s successes, but cautions D.C. inaction will hinder continued growth CINCINNATI, OHIO – Influential members of Cincinnati’s vibrant start-up and tech scene joined together this morning at one of the country’s hottest seed accelerators, The Brandery in Over-the-Rhine for a fast-paced roundtable discussion on global… Read More
Cincinnati startup community advocates for immigration overhaul
As changes to the United States’ immigration policy are being debated on Capitol Hill, a group of Cincinnati startup and tech luminaries, business leaders and economic development forces met at the Brandery on Wednesday morning to explain why the topic is important locally. Brandery co-founder Rob… 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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