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and numerous barriers to residency in place for international students to stay after graduation, America's outdated immigration policy could allow other countries to out-compete us by attracting and keeping the best and brightest there and not here.
New data shows the number of immigrant entrepreneurs in the Washington, D.C. metro area grew by more than 11 percent in one year
New York – Today New American Economy (NAE), a bipartisan research and advocacy organization focused on immigration, released new data highlighting the significant contributions immigrants make to the Washington, D.C. metro area’s community and economy. The data shows that immigrants in Washington, D.C. are driving economic growth… Read More
New data shows immigrants in Pittsburgh paid more than $1 billion in taxes in 2017, an increase of more than $80 million in just one year
New York – Today New American Economy (NAE), a bipartisan research and advocacy organization focused on immigration, released new data highlighting the significant contributions immigrants make to Pittsburgh’s community and economy. The data shows that immigrants in Pittsburgh are driving the small business economy — there were… Read More
New data shows Miami’s immigrants paid more than $16 billion in taxes in 2017
New York – Today New American Economy (NAE), a bipartisan research and advocacy organization focused on immigration, released new data highlighting the significant contributions immigrants make to the Miami community and economy. The data shows that immigrants in Miami are driving economic growth — the metro area’s… Read More
New data shows that immigrant household income in the New York metro area grew by more than $11 billion in one year
New York – Today New American Economy (NAE), a bipartisan research and advocacy organization focused on immigration, released new data highlighting the significant contributions immigrants make to the New York metro area’s community and economy. The data shows that immigrants in New York are playing an essential… Read More
New Research shows immigrants were responsible for more than one-third of total population growth in America’s 100 largest metro areas
New York – Today New American Economy (NAE), a bipartisan research and immigration advocacy organization, released new data showing the significant contributions that immigrants make to America’s 100 largest metro areas. The data, which shows taxes paid, industries supported, and businesses started, is featured on Map the Impact,… Read More
New data shows immigrants in Detroit paid more than $4.4 billion in taxes in 2017, an increase of more than $400 million in just one year
New York – Today New American Economy (NAE), a bipartisan research and advocacy organization focused on immigration, released new data highlighting the significant contributions immigrants make to Detroit’s community and economy. The data shows that immigrants in Detroit are driving economic growth — there were more than… Read More
New data shows Albany’s immigrants paid $715 million in taxes in 2017, a more than 10 percent increase in just one year
New York – Today New American Economy (NAE), a bipartisan research and advocacy organization focused on immigration, released new data highlighting the significant contributions immigrants make to the community and economy in and around Albany. The data shows that immigrants in the Albany metro area are crucial… Read More
New data shows Philadelphia’s immigrant household income increased by nearly $3 billion in just one year
New York – Today New American Economy (NAE), a bipartisan research and advocacy organization focused on immigration, released new data highlighting the significant contributions immigrants make to the Philadelphia community and economy. The data shows that immigrants are crucial contributors to Philadelphia’s economy — the area’s immigrant… Read More
New data shows the number of immigrant entrepreneurs in the Twin Cities grew by 19 percent in just one year
New York – Today New American Economy (NAE), a bipartisan research and advocacy organization focused on immigration, released new data highlighting the significant contributions immigrants make to the Twin Cities’ community and economy. The data shows that immigrants in the Twin Cities are driving growth in the… Read More
Crain’s Chicago Business Opinion: Illinois job creators need this immigration act now
As the founder of a Chicago-based customer experience and digital agency, finding skilled employees is one of my company’s biggest obstacles to growth. My industry calls hiring “a battle for talent,” because tech companies compete so fiercely over increasingly fewer qualified candidates on the market. As a result, it can… 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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