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Skilled Immigrants in the U.S.

Background:

The United States of America consistently attracts highly skilled immigrants, which contributes to the U.S. economy and ability to remain the world’s leader in innovation. The legal immigration system became too complex and ambiguous, leaving many skilled workers to be stuck in the United States territory only on temporary visa. It is not in America's interest to restrict permanent residence for the highly skilled workers. Without a constant flow of immigrants, the country faces a lack of talent and energy.

Facts about Skilled Immigrants in the U.S:

The United States mostly attracts highly educated individuals because of its natural benefits and ambitious education system. Skilled individuals are viewed as an input to development of new ideas and drive scientific innovation in the United States. Without highly skilled workers and diverse ideas the Unites States can lose its status of being the largest country for business services. Skilled foreign workers have immeasurable cultural contributions; foreigners bring global perspective into American society and support U.S. innovation through science and engineering research programs. During the 2014-2015 academic year, foreign students contributed $30.5 billion and supported 373,000 jobs.

Reliability of the U.S. economy on high-skilled employees:

Between 1996 and 2000 foreign-born workers constituted nearly half of the net increase in the U.S. labor force. Without highly skilled workers and diverse ideas the Unites States loses its status of being the largest country for business services. Economic growth of the country is visible via economic growth of different countries. For example, United States, Australia, and Singapore have an open inflow of foreign talent and the economy of these countries is booming comparing to Germany, Korea, and Russia.

H-1B visa status:

If a student, who is on F1 visa in the U.S., is planning to stay and work within the country for more than 12 months, he requires an extended visa, a H-1B visa. An employer has to sponsor the employee, which leads to international students causing more paperwork and cost on the employer. During Optional Practical Training (OPT) international students can receive a job offer from a sponsoring company, but for some companies’ reject visa dependency. Many international students leave the United States because of unfriendly immigration laws. Each April employers apply for H-1B visas for their employees which will allow them to continue working in the country.

H-1B Visa barriers:

In 2015, on the 7th of April, U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services stopped accepting applications when they received 172,500 requests the first week. Many high skilled employees were rejected to receive working visa, not because of their qualifications but much rather because the application capacity was reached. That situation caused a big noise that year and resulted in the rise of organizations such as Immigration voice.

Immigration voice

Immigration voice was founded on December 2015 by a group of volunteers who followed the Senate debate in November 2015 about relaxing green card delays. In December the reform failed and caused huge disappointment among 500,000 legal skilled immigrants. Aman Kapoor, an active poster at the forums, decided to announce a national non-profit organization working to alleviate the problems faced by legal high-skilled future Americans in the United States.

This organization is working on solving problems with green cards and employment of skilled foreign employees.

Innovation and job creation in the U.S.:

In 2008 a study was conducted by Harvard University indicating that foreigners who have a doctorate comprise around half of all scientists and engineers in the United States. There is a correlation in increase of inventions and number of H-1B visas issued.

Arlene Holen in her study indicates that during the shortage of H-1B and green-card limitations in 2003-2007, foreign graduates could contribute to the Gross Domestic Product by $13.6 billion in 2008, and even more in taxes. The National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), found that there is a positive relationship between the number of H-1B positions requested by employees and the total percentage change in the total employment one year later.

Bill Gates claimed in 2008 that “Microsoft has found that for every H-1B we hire, we add on average four additional employees to support them in various capacities.”

For every H-1B position requested, US technology companies increase their employment by 5 workers meaning that U.S. labor market have an increased demand for highly skilled foreign workers.

H-1B workers and labor force:

The U.S. department of Labor ensures that H-1B workers do not displace or adversely affect wages or working conditions of U.S. workers. They file the Labor Condition Application, in which the employer ensures that the firm will pay the nonimmigrant more than actual compensation paid other employees in the same job or the prevailing compensation for that occupation; the firm will provide working conditions for the nonimmigrant that do not affect other employees; and that there is no applicable strike or lockout.

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