It's About Innovation

View PDF Version Did you know ... More than half of the 56 Howard Hughes medical investigators chosen this year from the nation's top universities are highly educated immigrants or their descendants. This trend is not a surprise. In fact this has been the proportion for the past several years. Such foreign-born researchers are doing cutting-edge work in cancer, AIDS, nanotechnology and other critical areas of research that will save lives. Meanwhile, Congress continues to stall on crucial reforms to the EB green card and H-1B visa systems that would make it easier for worldwide talent to remain researching, working and innovating here in America. Congress Must Enact Reforms to the EB Green Card and H-1B Visa Systems This Year! To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org. Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -June 26, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... H-1B Critics Continue to Deny the Facts Need for Talent and the Positive Impact of H-1B Program on U.S. Job Growth are Well Documented Contrary to the evidence, the Center for Immigration Studies continues to proclaim that there is no relationship between the need for professional talent and the high demand for H-1B visas.  These claims come despite three studies released in March 2008 that provide ample evidence that H-1B visas are in high demand because of a shortage of workers in many high-skilled professions, and that the program actually helps create U.S. jobs. The National Science Foundation found that the unemployment rate of U.S. scientists and engineers dropped to a record low of 2.5% in 2006. National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) providing solid evidence of the extensive quantity of high-skilled job openings in U.S. technology and defense industries.  In its analysis of job openings at all companies in the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500, NFAP concluded that major U.S. technology companies currently average more than 470 high-skilled job openings each, while U.S. defense companies average 1,265 openings in skilled positions. NFAP also provided evidence that the hiring of skilled foreign professionals through the H-1B visa program has a positive impact on U.S. job growth.  The Foundation’s analysis found that for every H-1B position requested, U.S. technology companies showed an increase in employment of 5 workers. For technology firms with fewer than 5,000 employees, each H-1B position requested was associated with an increase in employment of 7.5 workers. Facts don’t lie – America’s innovation economy is in dire need of skilled professionals if we are to stay competitive and keep jobs in the United States. Congress Must Enact Reforms to the H-1B Visa and EB Green Card Programs This Year! For a copy of the research cited above and to learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org. Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -June 19, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... SIA and IEEE-USA Agree: The EB Green Card System Must be Reformed This Year The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) and IEEE-USA, which represents electrical and electronics engineers, recently partnered to support three bills that would make necessary, incremental reforms to the EB green card system (H.R. 6039, H.R. 5882 and H.R. 5921). In a letter of support sent to Rep. Zoe Lofgren, SIA and IEEE-USA stated: “If enacted, these three simple changes will enhance U.S. technological competitiveness and enable highly educated immigrants to contribute to job creation in the U.S. The IEEE-USA and SIA stand ready to assist your efforts to pass this important legislation.” If SIA and IEEE-USA can agree, Congress should too. Congress Must Enact Reforms This Year and Make the EB Green Card System Work for America! To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org. Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -June 12, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... U.S. employers must pay highly educated workers hired through the H-1B visa program the higher of the actual or prevailing wage for that position. U.S. employers take this requirement seriously.  For example… The average annual wage proposed by Google for H-1B hires in 2007 was $96,876, according to Labor Condition Application data, compared to an average prevailing wage of $79,777. (eWeek, May 29, 2008)  H-1B employees are not a cheap source of labor.  Highly educated workers fill critical positions at American companies and contribute greatly to the U.S. economy. Congress Must Enact Reforms This Year and Make the H-1B Visa and EB Green Card Systems Work for America!  To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org. Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -June 5, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... While Other Countries Step Up Efforts to Attract Highly Educated Professionals, Congress Fails to Act Australia plans to increase its skilled talent pool by 30 percent next year, from 102,500 in 2007-08 to 133,500. Canada is making it easier for international students to remain in the country after graduation by no longer requiring that they have a job offer to apply for a work permit and allowing students to remain in Canada for up to three years. Previously, foreign students could only receive a one-year permit. The European Union has introduced a “Blue Card” plan that allows highly educated workers to apply for renewable two-year visas, with process times of only one – three months. Meanwhile, America has not raised EB green card numbers since 1990 and highly educated employees must wait six – 10 years to get one.  Many employees become frustrated and go to places that are taking steps to welcome them, like Australia, Canada and the EU. Congress Must Enact Reforms This Year and Make the EB Green Card System Work for America! For a fact sheet on the importance of EB green cards, click here. To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org. Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -May 22, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... Employment-based Green Cards – Vital to American Innovation U.S. employers depend on employment-based (EB) green cards to keep highly educated professionals already employed in the workforce here in America so that they can continue innovating for the U.S. economy. But backlogs in the system mean that many of these valuable professionals are left waiting five to 10 years for an EB green card.  That can put an employer’s plans on hold and the life of employees in limbo because of limits on promotions, job changes, and even the ability to travel.  And their spouses, often well educated, are not able to work either. Many employees become frustrated and return to their home countries to compete against us, using their experience working at a U.S. company and in many cases a graduate degree from a U.S. university. The EB green card system doesn’t work for America. It’s time for Congress to reform the EB green card system to reflect the needs of U.S. employers and the 21st century workforce. To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org. Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -May 8, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... After Educating Foreign-Born, Highly Educated Professionals, America Must Keep Them At U.S. universities in 2007, foreign nationals accounted for: Nearly 40 percent of all master’s graduates in engineering 60 percent of all Ph.D. graduates in engineering Nearly 50 percent of all master’s graduates in electrical engineering 70 percent of all Ph.D. graduates in electrical engineering U.S. companies rely on H-1B visas and EB green cards to recruit and retain these highly educated foreign professionals after they have graduated from the U.S. educational system.  It’s counterproductive to educate them and then shut them out of the U.S. job market – often times forcing them to go abroad and compete against us. The H-1B visa and EB green card systems must be reformed this year. For state-by-state engineering graduate data and to learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org. Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -May 1, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... Companies Contributing to U.S. Education – The Future of the American Workforce U.S. companies have contributed nearly $2 billion through H-1B fees to U.S. math and science scholarships and U.S. worker training since 1999.  These fees have funded: More than 40,000 scholarships for U.S. students in math and science through the National Science Foundation; Hands-on science programs for 80,000 middle and high school students and 3,700 teachers; and Training for more than 55,000 U.S. workers and professionals. U.S. companies pay more than $91 billion each year in state and local taxes directed toward public education. U.S. companies are committed to improving America’s public education system to prepare the next generation of American workers for the 21st century workplace.  At the same time, companies rely on H-1B visas and EB green cards to recruit and retain highly educated foreign professionals as a complement to domestic sources of talent.  The H-1B visa and EB green card systems must be reformed this year. To read profiles on company education initiatives and to learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org. Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -April 24, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... The H-1B Lottery: Playing Games with America’s Innovation Future H-1B Lottery is “National Self-Sabotage” The U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had received a preliminary number of nearly 163,000 applications during the filing period ending on April 7, 2008, for the FY 2009 allotment of H-1B visas.  The Economist best described the absurd H-1B lottery system: “The result [of the H-1B lottery] is that hundreds of thousands of highly qualified people – entrepreneurs who want to start companies, doctors who want to save lives, scientists who want to explore the frontiers of knowledge – are kept waiting on the spin of a roulette wheel and then, more often than not, denied the chance to work in the United States.  This is a policy of national self-sabotage.”  –  April 10, 2008 The H-1B visa and EB green card systems must be reformed this year. To play the H-1B lottery and to learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org. Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -April 15, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... The H-1B Lottery: Playing Games with America’s Innovation Future H-1B Cap Hit Immediately – Again The U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the FY 2009 allotment of visas for highly educated foreign-born professionals was exceeded by applications received during the filing period that began on Tuesday, April 1, 2008.  H-1B visa “winners” will once again be determined by random lottery. This marks the first year that both the 65,000 overall cap and 20,000 cap exemption were reached during the filing period.  Last year the 20,000 cap exemption was reached weeks after the filing period. This is the second year in a row that the overall cap has been reached during the filing period. This is the fifth consecutive year that the cap has been reached on or before the beginning of the new fiscal year.  The H-1B visa and EB green card systems must be reformed this year. To play the H-1B lottery and to learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org. Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -April 9, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... Editorial Pages Across the Country Agree: Congress’ Inaction on Employment-Based Visa Reform Is Putting America’s Innovation Future at Risk The H-1B Lottery: Playing Games with America’s Innovation Future “Congress likely won't revisit comprehensive immigration reform in this election year. But lawmakers would be foolish to wait to lift the H-1B cap, especially during the current economic slump. It makes no sense to limit a source of highly skilled labor that would help the U.S. economy grow.” – Orlando Sentinel, March 29, 2008 “H-1B visas are reserved for the world's best and brightest, and barring their entry is economic self-sabotage.” – Evansville Courier and Press (Indiana), March 26, 2003 “What's needed is obvious. The H-1B program should be both expanded and overhauled … Beyond the H-1B program, more permanent visas need to be steered to highly skilled people.” – USA Today, March 25, 2008 The H-1B visa and EB green card systems must be reformed this year. To play the H-1B lottery and to learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org. Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -April 3, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... Editorial Pages Across the Country Agree: Congress’ Inaction on Employment-Based Visa Reform Is Putting America’s Innovation Future at Risk The H-1B Lottery: Playing Games with America’s Innovation Future “Allowing the [H-1B] cap to stay so low effectively exiles not only the world's best and brightest but also the U.S. companies that employ them.” – The Washington Post, March 25, 2008 “…[W]e'd love to see someone in D.C. give a little consideration to the H-1B visa problem. Raising the cap substantially would be a good start, and would be hailed by companies that now see too many talented and eager workers wind up overseas.” – The Oklahoman, March 25, 2008 “…[L]awmakers and the Bush administration should act to address what [Microsoft Chairman Bill] Gates calls an ‘already grave situation.’  This would be a good step toward helping America better compete in a global economy that, like it or not, is here to stay.” – The Patriot-News (Harrisburg, PA), March 17, 2008 The H-1B visa and EB green card systems must be reformed this year. To play the H-1B lottery and to learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org. Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -April 1, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... Bill Gates Testifies to Importance of High-Skilled Immigration Reform … So Why Are We Playing Games with America’s Innovation Future? The H-1B Lottery Countdown Continues In congressional testimony last week, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates explained the result of Congress’ inaction on high-skilled immigration reform: “…[M]any U.S. firms, including Microsoft, have been forced to locate staff in countries that welcome skilled foreign workers to do work that could otherwise have been done in the United States, if it were not for our counterproductive immigration policies.  Last year, for example, Microsoft was unable to obtain H-1B visas for one-third of the highly qualified foreign-born job candidates that we wanted to hire.” Now is the time to reform the employment-based visa system, not throw highly educated professionals into a government-run lottery system.  But that’s exactly what will happen on April 1, 2008 when the 2009 cap on H-1B visas is expected to be hit on the very first day that U.S. employers can even file for them.  America can’t leave its innovation leadership to chance! The H-1B visa and EB green card systems must be reformed this year. To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org.   Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -March 20, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... New Study Confirms Importance of Highly Educated Workers … So Why Are We Playing Games with America’s Innovation Future? The H-1B Lottery Countdown Continues According to a new study from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), major U.S. technology companies currently average more than 470 high-skilled job openings each while U.S. defense firms average 1,265 openings in skilled positions. Facts don’t lie – America’s innovation economy is in dire need of skilled professionals if we are to stay competitive and keep jobs in the United States. Now is the time to reform the employment-based visa system, not throw these highly sought-after professionals into a government-run lottery system.  But that’s exactly what will happen on April 1, 2008 when the 2009 cap on H-1B visas for highly educated foreign-born professionals is expected to be hit on the very first day that U.S. employers can even file for them.  America can’t leave its innovation leadership to chance! The H-1B visa and EB green card systems must be reformed this year. To read the NFAP report, click here.  To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org.   Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -March 13, 2008 top View PDF Version Did you know ... It’s That Time of Year Again – Time to Play the H-1B Lottery The 2009 cap on H-1B visas for highly educated foreign-born professionals will likely be hit on or near April 1, the very first day that U.S. employers can even file for them.  That means that all the applications received will go into a lottery, and highly educated professionals will be chosen at random to fill critical roles in our nation’s innovation economy. Last year, the 2008 cap was hit on the same day applications were accepted – a record speed. Clearly, supply does not meet demand. Yet Congress has failed to reform the immigration system for highly educated workers to meet America’s economic needs. America can’t leave its innovation leadership to chance! The H-1B visa and EB green card systems must be reformed this year. To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org.   Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -March 6, 2008 top   View PDF Version Did you know ... Highly educated, foreign-born professionals bring tremendous benefits to the U.S. economy – and at no cost to American taxpayers.  Highly Educated Professionals are Revenue Generators In 2005, the publicly traded venture-backed companies started by immigrants generated more than $130 billion in revenue.  (NVCA) Moreover, Indian and Chinese entrepreneurs founded nearly one-third of Silicon Valley’s technology companies that accounted for $19.5 billion in sales and generated more than 72,000 jobs.  (NVCA) The $1,500 H-1B fee paid by employers has funded nearly $2 billion in U.S. student scholarships and worker retraining programs.  (National Foundation for American Policy) U.S. high-tech goods exports increased by 10 percent from $199 billion to $220 billion, while imports rose by 9 percent from $295 billion to $322 billion between 2005 and 2006.  (AeA) 2006 was the fourth consecutive year of growing high-tech exports, with increases in all eight industry sectors.  (AeA) High tech was the nation’s largest export industry in 2006, comprising 21 percent of total U.S. goods exports.  (AeA) America can strengthen its economy by welcoming more of these highly valued professionals.  Reform the H-1B visa and EB green card programs that bring them here today. For all the facts on how highly educated workers stimulate the economy, click here.  To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org.   Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.   -January 30, 2008 top   View PDF Version

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Highly educated, foreign-born professionals bring tremendous benefits to the U.S. economy – and at no cost to American taxpayers. 

Highly Educated Professionals are Economic and Innovation Drivers

• Immigrants have started one in four U.S. public companies over the past 15 years. (National Venture Capital Association (NVCA))

• In the last 15 years, immigrants have started 25 percent of U.S. venture-backed public companies, including major U.S. employers such as Intel, Sun Microsystems, eBay, Yahoo! and Google.  (NVCA)

• 25.3% of engineering and technology companies started in the United States from 1995 to 2005 had at least one foreign-born key founder.  Nationwide, these immigrant-founded companies produced $52 billion in sales and employed 450,000 workers in 2005.  (Duke University and the University of California, Berkeley)

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ eight IT job segments added more than 300,000 jobs last year, with average quarterly employment topping 3.76 million last year, up from 3.46 million at the end of 2006, making 2007 the best year ever for IT job creation. (Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS))

• The U.S. IT industry is at full employment, with quarterly unemployment averaging just two percent in 2007.  (BLS)

America can strengthen its economy by welcoming more of these highly valued professionals.  Reform the H-1B visa and EB green card programs that bring them here today.

To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

-January 24, 2008

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Democratic and Republican Presidential Candidates Agree: Highly Educated Professionals Contribute to America

• “… [O]ne of our greatest sources of talent and brains in this nation came from people from all over the world, who studied here, and decided that they wanted to stay and work here. … [W]e … have to fix this H-1B problem, and we have to make it a lot easier for students from all over the world to come and study at the finest institutions in the world.” – Senator John McCain (R-AZ), August 30, 2007

• “I think it is important for us to have available … the talent and the mental capacity we need. So the H-1B visa program is important; it should be expanded, based on the needs that exist.” – Senator John Edwards, September 3, 2007

• “H-1B visas are a great source of a brain magnet, … bringing people into this country who have skill and experience from other countries.  I’d rather staple a green card to your diploma and say that if you can get a Ph.D. from one of our great institutions, we’d love you to stay here.” – Governor Mitt Romney, September 25, 2007

• “… [W]e need to get the best minds from the world once again coming to America.” – Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), October 4, 2007

• “I support comprehensive immigration reform that includes improvement in our visa programs, including our legal permanent resident visa programs and temporary programs including the H-1B program, to attract some of the world’s most talented people to America.” – Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), November 26, 2007

Support for H-1B visa and EB green card reform is bipartisan.  Congress must act now to modernize these systems to meet our nation’s workforce demands in the 21st century.

To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

-December 19, 2007

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New Report Finds U.S. Jobs and Innovation Being Driven Offshore by Employment-Based Visa Restrictions

According to a new study from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), U.S. technology companies, research labs and companies serving clients in a range of fields are being driven to pursue offshore employment alternatives due to current and proposed employment-based visa restrictions.

According to the report:

• The increasing demand for highly educated professionals throughout the U.S. economy and an increasing need to compete globally has created a demand for scientists, engineers and other professionals in the United States that cannot be filled by Americans alone. 

• Further restricting the conditions under which companies obtain H-1B and L-1 visas for skilled foreign nationals, even in exchange for higher annual limits on H-1Bs, is likely to result in less innovation and job creation in the United States as companies hire more individuals abroad.

• A more sensible policy is to increase quotas for H-1B visas and employment-based green cards and to enforce existing laws already in place to protect the interests of U.S. workers. 

Congress must act now to modernize the H-1B visa and EB green card systems to meet our nation’s workforce demands in the 21st century.

To read the full report, visit http://www.nfap.com/pdf/071206study.pdf.

To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

-December 12, 2007

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Widespread Support for EB Green Card and H-1B Visa Reform Continues to Build

Editorial pages across the country continue to call for a fix to the EB green card and H-1B visa programs.

• “Economic protectionists oppose lifting the visa cap to meet demand. But it makes little sense for our universities to be educating these talented foreign students, only to send them packing after graduation.  Current policies have MIT and Stanford educating the next generation of innovators -- and then deporting them to create wealth elsewhere.”

            – The Wall Street Journal, November 30, 2007

• “The government should do all it can to pull the cork out of the H-1B bottleneck... Instead of making the process more burdensome, this country should do what it can to increase the number of bright and highly skilled people in the work force.” -- The Oklahoman, November 27, 2007

• “Last month, the EU introduced a new "blue card," which acts as a temporary work visa for educated professionals. The message it sends is clear. While the U.S. dollar is shrinking in value and American leaders clearly don't want foreigners on their shores, the European Union is laying a giant welcome mat for people who can help its surging economies.”

            -- Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City), November 17, 2007

• “The United States long has benefited from foreigners coming here to better themselves. If we're on the receiving end of a “brain drain,” …why shouldn’t we streamline the process of accommodating the newcomers?”

            – The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC), November 14, 2007

Congress must act now to modernize the EB green card and H-1B visa systems to meet our nation’s workforce demands in the 21st century.

To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

-December 5, 2007

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Number of U.S.-Born Graduates Not Meeting Demand

A recent report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers ^(NACE) found greater competition is expected for graduates in the fields of engineering and computer science during the 2007-2008 recruiting season. 

That’s because the number of U.S.-born graduates with degrees in these fields is not increasing to meet rising demand.

• As a result, an increased number of employers are relying on foreign-born students to meet their employment needs.

• According to the report, one-third of employers who responded said they plan to hire foreign students this recruiting season.

However, arbitrarily low H-1B visa numbers have made it virtually impossible for U.S. employers to hire foreign-born students graduating from U.S. universities.

Congress must fix both the H-1B visa and EB green card systems that U.S. employers use to recruit and retain highly sought after and much needed worldwide talent. 

To learn more about the NACE report, visit www.naceweb.org.

To learn more about the need to reform America’s highly educated immigration system, visit www.competeamerica.org.

-November 14 , 2007

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Foreign-Born, Highly Educated Professionals Create Jobs and Drive Innovation

Foreign-born, highly educated immigrants who study and then remain in the United States drive American innovation, create U.S. jobs, and help keep the U.S. economy strong.

• More than half of the foreign-born founders of U.S. technology and engineering businesses initially came to the United States to study (Kaufmann Foundation).
  
  
• 25.3% of engineering and technology companies started in the United States from 1995 to 2005 had at least one foreign-born key founder.  Nationwide, these immigrant-founded companies produced $52 billion in sales and employed 450,000 workers in 2005 (Duke University and the University of California, Berkeley).

Foreign-born professionals are a significant driving force in the creation of new businesses and intellectual property in America.

Congress must fix the H-1B visa and EB green card systems that U.S. employers use to recruit and retain critical worldwide talent – especially after they have graduated from U.S. universities.

To learn more about the need to reform America’s highly educated immigration system, visit www.competeamerica.org.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

-November 7 , 2007

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The EU Welcomes Highly Educated Professionals While America Turns Many Away

To learn more about the need to reform America’s highly educated immigration system, visit www.competeamerica.org.

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Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

-October 31, 2007

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The EU Blue Card: A Red Flag for America

Yesterday, the European Union unveiled the Blue Card – a two-year renewable work visa for skilled immigrants.
Europe’s goal? Attract worldwide talent from other countries to help deal with a projected shortage of skilled workers.
Meanwhile, America continues to turn away some of the world’s brightest minds because of arbitrarily low H-1B visa caps and insufficient EB green card numbers.

The EU Blue Card process will take 1-3 MONTHS.
The U.S. Green Card process often takes 5-10 YEARS.

Which would you choose: a welcome mat or a closed door?

To learn more about these and other highly educated professionals who are contributing to America, visit www.competeamerica.org.

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Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

-October 25, 2007

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Highly Educated Immigrants Awarded Nobel Prize

Highly educated immigrants have a long history of contributing to our country.  Three of this year’s Nobel Prize winners are foreign nationals who now live and work in the United States:

• Leonid Hurwicz – Born in Russia; Professor at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; Awarded the 2007 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences.

• Oliver Smithies – Born in Great Britain; Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Awarded the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

• Mario R. Capecchi – Born in Italy; Received a PhD in Biophysics from Harvard University; Professor of Human Genetics and Biology at the University of Utah; Awarded the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

America cannot continue to turn away some of the world’s brightest minds because of arbitrarily low H-1B visa caps and insufficient EB green card numbers.

Congress must modernize the immigration system for foreign-born, highly educated professionals to meet our nation’s workforce demands in the 21st century.

To learn more about these and other highly educated professionals who are contributing to America, visit www.competeamerica.org.  

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Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

-October 17, 2007

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High Tech Companies and Engineers Join Forces to Urge Action on Highly Educated Immigration Reform

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-USA (IEEE-USA) have joined forces to urge Congress to act this year to reform the highly educated immigration system.

In their joint letter to key Senate and House leaders, they state:

• “Both IEEE-USA and SIA see the retention of highly educated immigrants as part of a broader competitiveness and innovation initiative ….”

• “The SIA and IEEE-USA agree that these highly-talented individuals should be able to get permanent resident status (green cards) in an expedited manner ….”

• “The U.S. should be encouraging highly skilled talent to enter and remain in the United States in order to improve America’s competitive position in the global economy.  Other nations are working hard to attract this same talent to compete against U.S. companies.”

High tech companies and engineers agree: 

Congress must modernize the highly educated immigration system to meet our nation’s workforce demands in the 21st century.

For a copy of the letter, click here. 

To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org.

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Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

-October 11, 2007

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New Fiscal Year Begins and U.S. Employers Wait 12 More Months for H-1B Visas

The federal government started its new fiscal year (FY) on October 1, 2007, and
U.S. employers are forced to wait an additional 12 months before they can hire highly educated foreign professionals through the H-1B program – including foreign student talent graduating from U.S. universities.

That’s because the 65,000 FY 2008 H-1B cap was exhausted on April 2, 2007 – the very first day applications were accepted, and half a year before this fiscal year even began.

• This is the ninth time since 1997 that the cap has been reached before the end of the fiscal year.

• This is the fourth year in a row that it has been reached on or before the start of the fiscal year.

This means lost talent, lost job creation and lost economic opportunities for America.  To learn more about the impact, click here.

Congress must act now to modernize the H-1B visa and EB green card systems to meet our nation’s workforce demands in the 21st century.

To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

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-October 3, 2007

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Widespread Support for EB Green Card and H-1B Visa Reform Continues to Build

Editorial pages across the country continue to acknowledge the need to fix our EB green card and H-1B visa programs this year so that America remains competitive.

• “It is imperative that U.S. companies be able to attract the brightest minds in the world. But this year's annual cap of 65,000 temporary visas was gobbled up in two days. A good place to start, as we've noted before, would be to double the number of H-1B visas.” – San Jose Mercury News, September 20, 2007

• “Every year, … 1 million skilled workers must compete for 120,000 green cards.  They might have had little choice in the past, but many of these workers now have attractive alternatives. Some are already giving up on the United States, taking their talents back to their newly dynamic home economies, such as India and China. … We want these workers. They strengthen us. As more employers and local leaders warn about the consequences of losing them, Congress needs to change the quotas now freezing them out.” – Houston Chronicle, September 16, 2007

• “… [T]he scarcity of certain high-tech skills will further encourage businesses to outsource that work overseas.  After this spring's bruising battle, Congress is unlikely to want to tackle immigration reform quickly, but it must. The problems aren't going away and, in fact, will become increasingly intractable with further delay.” – Dallas Morning News, September 3, 2007

Congress must act now to modernize the EB green card and H-1B visa systems to meet our nation’s workforce demands in the 21st century.

To learn more about highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

- September 26, 2007

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New Study Finds Evidence of Reverse Brain Drain

Foreign-born immigrants in the United States help drive international patent creation and innovation.  According to a new study released by the Kauffman Foundation:

• Foreign nationals residing in the United States were named as inventors or co‐inventors in 25.6 percent of international patent applications filed from the United States in 2006, a more than 15 percent increase since 1998.

• Foreign nationals and foreign residents contributed to more than half of the international patents filed by a number of large, multi‐national companies, including Qualcomm (72 percent), Merck & Co. (65 percent), General Electric (64 percent), Siemens (63 percent), and Cisco (60 percent).

• Forty‐one percent of the patents filed by the U.S. government had foreign national inventors or co‐inventors. 

• However, approximately one in five new legal immigrants plan to leave the United States or are uncertain about remaining.

The study estimates that more than 1 million people are currently waiting for green cards, yet only 120,120 permanent resident visas are available annually for them.  This imbalance creates the potential for a sizeable reverse brain drain from the United States to the skilled workers’ home countries.

It’s time for Congress to fix the broken immigration system for highly educated foreign professionals.  This includes streamlining the employment-based green card system and raising the cap on H-1B visas. 

To read the full report and for more information on how highly educated immigration benefits America, visit www.competeamerica.org.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

- September 19, 2007

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Nation’s Governors Call on Congress to Act this Year on Highly Educated Immigration Reform

A bipartisan group of 13 governors have called on Congress to enact reforms to the H-1B visa and employment-based (EB) green card systems.  In their letter to U.S. Senate and House leadership they said:

“While we concentrate on building a highly skilled and competitive workforce … today, we and our nation face a critical shortage of highly skilled professionals in math and science to fill current needs.   Until we are able to address this workforce shortage, we must recognize that foreign talent has a role to play in our ability to keep companies located in our state and country; and, therefore, need to ensure the increased availability of temporary H-1B visas, and permanent resident visas (green cards)….”

The letter was signed by the governors of:

It’s time that Congress fix the broken immigration system for highly educated foreign professionals.

For a copy of the letter, click here.

For more information on how highly educated immigration benefits America, visit www.competeamerica.org.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

- September 13, 2007

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It’s that time of year … students across the country are heading back to school. 

For many foreign students at American universities, this will be their last year before entering the job market.  Yet even though they will graduate as some of the world’s top innovators, engineers and scientists – the U.S. government is likely to show them the door. 

Why?  This year, the overall H-1B visa cap for highly educated foreign professionals were taken...IN ONE DAY.  That meant that more than half of all the U.S.-based foreign students set to receive advanced degrees in math, science and engineering from American universities were shut out of the U.S. job market and lost to U.S. employers who badly need them.

These are American-trained innovators and job creators— and an important addition to the U.S. workforce.  It makes no sense to educate them here and then send them abroad to compete against us.

It’s time for Congress to fix the broken immigration system for highly educated foreign professionals.  This includes streamlining the employment-based green card system and raising the cap on H-1B visas. 

America cannot afford to wait for highly educated visa reform any longer.

For more information on how highly educated immigration benefits America, visit www.competeamerica.org.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

- September 6, 2007

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Foreign-born professionals drive innovation and economic growth in the United States.  According to a report issued earlier this year by Duke University and the University of California, Berkeley:

• 25.3% of engineering and technology companies started in the U.S. from 1995 to 2005 had at least one foreign-born key founder.

• Nationwide, these immigrant-founded companies produced $52 billion in sales and employed 450,000 workers in 2005.

• It is estimated that U.S.-based foreign nationals were named as inventors or co-inventors in 24.2% of international patent applications filed from the United States in 2006.

The report makes it clear that foreign-born professionals are a significant driving force in the creation of new businesses and intellectual property in America -- and that their contributions have increased over the past decade.

Yet the employment-based (EB) green card and H-1B visa systems that bring and keep these valued professionals in America are broken and in need of permanent reform.

U.S. innovation leadership cannot be left to chance – especially when foreign nationals contribute so greatly to our nation.

Congress must modernize the EB green card and H-1B visa systems to meet our nation’s workforce demands in the 21st century.

For a copy of the full report, visit www.competeamerica.org/resource/bibliography/immigrant_entrepreneurs.pdf.

To learn more on highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

- July 26, 2007

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Widespread Support for EB Green Card and H-1B Visa Reform
Continues to Build

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Editorial pages across the country continue to acknowledge the need to fix our EB green card and H-1B visa programs this year so that America remains competitive.

• “Congress must also allow more skilled immigrants to fill jobs in high-demand fields like technology and nursing. … Some reforms just can't wait for a new president and a new Congress to try again.” – San Jose Mercury News, July 17, 2007

• Business is good in Canada, thanks to the failed efforts of the U.S. Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration bill. … Consider: Software giant Microsoft is going to open an office in Canada. A key factor in the move is the frustration level of company officials, upset that the shortage of H-1B visas for high-tech workers is forcing them to do business elsewhere. … That's what happens when you take a hard-line approach. You exclude everybody, even the best and the brightest the world has to offer.” – Orlando Sentinel, July 11, 2007

• “A comprehensive fix to U.S. immigration policy is overdue, but failing that, Congress should at least adopt a more sensible approach to H-1B visas.” 

– Los Angeles Times, July 10, 2007

• “Massachusetts would benefit if the country expanded its H-1B visa program. …  [T]he United States isn't producing enough engineers and scientists to meet the needs of high-tech industries, so there's ample room to welcome more of the world's skilled workers. … Even if it's with small steps, Congress still has to pursue reform.” – The Boston Globe, July 7, 2007

Congress must act now to modernize the EB green card and H-1B visa systems to meet our nation’s workforce demands in the 21st century.

To learn more on highly educated immigration, visit www.competeamerica.org.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

- July 19, 2007

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There’s Agreement from Coast to Coast

America’s Editorial Pages Agree:  It’s Time to Fix the System for H-1B Visa and Employment-Based (EB) Green Cards

Congress must act now to keep America’s innovation economy moving by reforming both the H-1B visa and EB green card systems to help U.S. employers meet our nation’s workforce demands in the 21st century. 

For more information on how highly educated immigration benefits America and to read many more editorials, visit www.competeamerica.org.

- June 21, 2007

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Foreign-born immigrants who study and then remain in the United States drive American innovation, create U.S. jobs, and help keep the U.S. economy strong. 

According to a study released this week by the Kaufmann Foundation:

• More than half of the foreign-born founders of U.S. technology and engineering businesses initially came to the United States to study.

• They typically founded companies after working and residing in the United States for an average of 13 years.

• According to the National Venture Capital Association, immigrants have started one in four U.S. public companies over the past 15 years.

Temporary H-1B visas and permanent employment-based (EB) green cards allow these highly educated foreign professionals to be hired by American companies when they graduate from U.S. universities and then to remain here in the United States so that they can continue contributing to our nation’s strength and prosperity.

Congress must act now to keep America’s innovation economy moving by reforming both the H-1B visa and EB green card systems to help U.S. employers meet our nation’s workforce demands in the 21st century. 

For the complete report, visit www.kauffman.org/immigrants.

For more information on how highly educated immigration benefits America, visit www.competeamerica.org.

Compete America (www.competeamerica.org) is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration and committed to ensuring that the United States has the highly educated workforce necessary to ensure continued innovation, job creation and leadership in a worldwide economy.

- June 15, 2007

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According to a recent study released by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP):

• U.S. companies have contributed nearly $2 billion through H-1B fees to U.S. math and science scholarships and U.S. worker training since 1999.  These fees have funded:

• More than 40,000 scholarships for U.S. students in math and science through the National Science Foundation;
• Hands-on science programs for 80,000 middle and high school students and 3,700 teachers; and
• Training for more than 55,000 U.S. workers and professionals.

• U.S. companies