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and numerous barriers to residency in place for international students to stay after graduation, America's outdated immigration policy could allow other countries to out-compete us by attracting and keeping the best and brightest there and not here.
Rand Paul on Immigration Reform: ‘Amnesty Is a Word That’s Trapped Us’
Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) said conservatives have been “trapped” by referring to legalizing undocumented immigrants as amnesty – the word David Brat used to propel his primary victory over House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R., Va.). “We’ve been somewhat trapped by… Read More
Paul: Immigration reform did not sink Cantor
FRANKFORT, KY. — U.S. Sen. Rand Paul said Wednesday that “the ball is moving forward” on immigration reform despite the surprise defeat of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in the Virginia primary. Cantor lost to Dave Brat, a little-known economics professor whose campaign focused largely on… Read More
Hispanic entrepreneurs need immigration reform
Like many Hispanics, my father possessed a strong entrepreneurial spirit. At the age of 21, he immigrated to the United States from Cuba and then served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. After the war, he landed himself a job in the New York Times’ newsroom… Read More
Dearth of work visas slow Houston’s tech scene
Houston and U.S. technology companies in over 200 metropolitan areas faced difficulties hiring workers due to a lack of H-1B worker’s visas, a recent study shows. According to a study produced by the Partnership for a New American Economy, in 2007 and 2008, the system of… Read More
Report: Slowdown in immigrant workers also translates to fewer opportunities for Americans
Americans would have better job opportunities if more foreign-born workers could make a living in America, a new report asserts. H-1B visa denials in 2007 and 2008 have had a negative impact on job opportunities and wage growth for U.S.-born technology workers in more than 200… Read More
H-1B visa limits hamper U.S. economy, study finds
Capping the number of visas issued to foreign-born tech workers restricts the number of U.S-born workers that firms could hire – and the Bay Area is feeling the brunt of that impact, according to a new study. Tech interests have long wanted to increase the number… Read More
TAG Calls for Action Following Report on Visa Lottery Gaps
The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) today issued a call for legislative action to be taken in light of a new report from The Partnership for a New American Economy. The report details how existing H-1B visa lottery caps disproportionately hurt U.S.-born tech workers… Read More
Immigration Reform Advocates Hit The Hill With Studies
Eager to revive House GOP interest in immigration reform before the August congressional recess, advocates for reform put out a slew of new studies Thursday. One posits that the short supply of H-1B temporary workers negatively affects tech job creation and wage growth for American workers,… Read More
Bloomberg: Lack of worker visas stalled economic growth in Research Triangle
The technology community in North Carolina and across the country continues to press for an immigration overhaul. Their latest effort involves a new self-funded report that argues existing visa lottery caps hurt U.S.-born tech workers in the Research Triangle. The pro-overhaul group, Partnership for New American Economy, released a … Read More
This study showed that high-skilled immigrants create jobs for Americans
The tech industry has become one of the biggest interests lobbying for immigration reform, for a straightforward reason: they say they can’t find enough qualified workers here in the US. If the government issued more high-skilled visas, they say, they could hire immigrants… 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.
America's story is an immigrant story.
