Mumbai: part 1A group of US lawmakers recently said: ‘Oh, Canada! How outdated US immigration policies push top talent to other countries.’ Purpose of this subcommittee Immigration and CitizenshipIn order to understand how Canada’s immigration laws and procedures are helping to attract top talent, these learnings, in turn, could perhaps inspire needed immigration reforms in the US.
One of the first steps announced was the presentation of a comprehensive immigration reform legislative package to Congress – shortly after Joe Biden was sworn in as president. While a number of steps have been taken to strengthen the legal immigration system, there has been no major legislative reform to date.
Read also: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/biden-reforms-on-day-1-set-to-cheer-indian-diaspora/articleshow/80377087.cms
“With today’s hearing, we explore the detrimental effects that our ancient immigration system had on our ability to compete in the global race for talent, particularly in relation to Canada,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Gerold Nadler’s opening statement.
“A diverse talent base consisting of the best and brightest minds from around the world is critical to strengthening our stem Benefits, and by extension – our national security interests. On the other hand, I note that the bipartisan national security commission Calling immigration reform on artificial intelligence a national security imperative.”
“The last time we made any significant changes to our immigration laws was in 1990. At the time, most of us weren’t using the Internet, and cell phones weren’t mass-produced yet. Text messaging and the grid Things like computing—which paved the way for cloud computing in a way that wasn’t even invented human genome project was launched, but our understanding of the role of genes in causing disease was just beginning,” he said.
“Things we take lightly today were the stuff of science fiction 30 years ago. And yet today, we are bound by an immigration system that is frozen in another era. Without reforms, no doubt about it. Not that we will lose out on top scientific talent and innovators with modern systems for both allies and opponents,” he continued.
Indian professionals, including highly skilled workers in the STEM field, can relate well to the following statement from Nadler.
“First, temporary visa options for highly skilled workers are quite limited. Visas are available to individuals who have already reached the top of their field, as well as those who have moved from a foreign company to a US affiliate. But undergraduate American universities—including those with master’s and PhD degrees—who wish to begin their STEM careers here must often compete with thousands of others for a limited number of ‘specialty business’ visas. ” (This refers to the H-1B visa).
“Those lucky enough to beat the odds to get a temporary visa face other hurdles if their employer wants to sponsor them for permanent residency. As a result of the annual cap on employment-based visas, for many years are forced to wait—and in some cases decades—for an immigrant visa to become available.” (You has often cited a CATO Institute study. According to David J Bayer, immigration policy analyst at this think-tank, the employment-based green card backlog for the people of India (EB2 and EB3 skilled category had reached 7.41 lakh in April 2020 with an expected waiting time of 84 years).
Nadler remarked that many immigrants who would otherwise pursue the American dream are now turning to other countries – particularly Canada, which has sought flexibility and incentives in its immigration system to attract skilled professionals to its shores. Significant progress has been made in construction.
“Programs such as Express Entry, Start-up Visas and the Global Talent Stream have proven so successful that those who have been thwarted by the US immigration system are now turning to Canada. Ironically, Canada’s successful Start-up Visa Program Inspired by legislation introduced in the House in 2011 that never became law. The results are paying off, earning Toronto the moniker—the ‘Silicon Valley of the North’, he said.
“It is my hope that with this hearing, we can begin to build some consensus on the reforms that are needed to ensure that our immigration system works for the American people – not the American people, Nadler said.
In a series of articles, TOI will bring you excerpts from some of the witnesses called for the hearing and suggestions from other experts who made their written submissions.
One of the first steps announced was the presentation of a comprehensive immigration reform legislative package to Congress – shortly after Joe Biden was sworn in as president. While a number of steps have been taken to strengthen the legal immigration system, there has been no major legislative reform to date.
Read also: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/biden-reforms-on-day-1-set-to-cheer-indian-diaspora/articleshow/80377087.cms
“With today’s hearing, we explore the detrimental effects that our ancient immigration system had on our ability to compete in the global race for talent, particularly in relation to Canada,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Gerold Nadler’s opening statement.
“A diverse talent base consisting of the best and brightest minds from around the world is critical to strengthening our stem Benefits, and by extension – our national security interests. On the other hand, I note that the bipartisan national security commission Calling immigration reform on artificial intelligence a national security imperative.”
“The last time we made any significant changes to our immigration laws was in 1990. At the time, most of us weren’t using the Internet, and cell phones weren’t mass-produced yet. Text messaging and the grid Things like computing—which paved the way for cloud computing in a way that wasn’t even invented human genome project was launched, but our understanding of the role of genes in causing disease was just beginning,” he said.
“Things we take lightly today were the stuff of science fiction 30 years ago. And yet today, we are bound by an immigration system that is frozen in another era. Without reforms, no doubt about it. Not that we will lose out on top scientific talent and innovators with modern systems for both allies and opponents,” he continued.
Indian professionals, including highly skilled workers in the STEM field, can relate well to the following statement from Nadler.
“First, temporary visa options for highly skilled workers are quite limited. Visas are available to individuals who have already reached the top of their field, as well as those who have moved from a foreign company to a US affiliate. But undergraduate American universities—including those with master’s and PhD degrees—who wish to begin their STEM careers here must often compete with thousands of others for a limited number of ‘specialty business’ visas. ” (This refers to the H-1B visa).
“Those lucky enough to beat the odds to get a temporary visa face other hurdles if their employer wants to sponsor them for permanent residency. As a result of the annual cap on employment-based visas, for many years are forced to wait—and in some cases decades—for an immigrant visa to become available.” (You has often cited a CATO Institute study. According to David J Bayer, immigration policy analyst at this think-tank, the employment-based green card backlog for the people of India (EB2 and EB3 skilled category had reached 7.41 lakh in April 2020 with an expected waiting time of 84 years).
Nadler remarked that many immigrants who would otherwise pursue the American dream are now turning to other countries – particularly Canada, which has sought flexibility and incentives in its immigration system to attract skilled professionals to its shores. Significant progress has been made in construction.
“Programs such as Express Entry, Start-up Visas and the Global Talent Stream have proven so successful that those who have been thwarted by the US immigration system are now turning to Canada. Ironically, Canada’s successful Start-up Visa Program Inspired by legislation introduced in the House in 2011 that never became law. The results are paying off, earning Toronto the moniker—the ‘Silicon Valley of the North’, he said.
“It is my hope that with this hearing, we can begin to build some consensus on the reforms that are needed to ensure that our immigration system works for the American people – not the American people, Nadler said.
In a series of articles, TOI will bring you excerpts from some of the witnesses called for the hearing and suggestions from other experts who made their written submissions.
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