U.S. firms fear Europe will snatch up foreign tech workers
The European Union's new proposal aimed at fast-tracking the immigration process for workers in "highly skilled" is making some U.S. technology heavyweights nervous.
It's no secret that American tech firms prize vast quantities of H-1B temporary visas and permanent residency permits, otherwise known as green cards. The companies argue that these tools are necessary to bring in foreigners for positions they claim suffer from shortages of qualified Americans, particularly the foreign nationals who represent the majority of masters and Ph.D. graduates from U.S. universities in relevant technical fields.
Flag of the EU
Now they're concerned that unless Congress acts fast to increase the cap on those rapidly grabbed prizes, they'll soon lose out on foreign talent to EU countries.
The EU's proposal would provide a "fast-track" immigration program known as the "blue card"--a sort of green card competitor, offering card holders all EU social benefits--which will bring 20 million additional workers from Asia, Africa and Latin America over the next 20 years, according to various news reports. The plan's drafters hope to award workers the cards within one month to three months--a far cry from U.S. green cards, whose processing time averages 5 to 10 years.
"Europe has laid down a challenge to the United States Congress," Ralph Hellman, a lobbyist for the Information Technology Industry Council, said in a statement. "The EU will attract the best and brightest workers in the world if the United States continues to create new burdens to hiring these valuable workers."
ITI's members include Apple, Microsoft, Dell, Cisco Systems, IBM and Intel.
American tech companies may not have anything to get worked up yet, though. The EU has been considering such a move since 1999, and even now, the plan still must be ratified by all 27 member states, which would then set "quotas" based on their worker needs. It reportedly faces resistance from some major members, including the United Kingdom and Germany.
Meanwhile, proponents of increased U.S. visa quotas are also fuming this week over the U.S. Senate's approval of an amendment that increases by $3,500 the filing fees for employers seeking H-1B visas, which allow foreigners with at least a bachelor's degree in their area of specialty to work in the United States for up to six years. That bill must still be reconciled with a House of Representatives version, however, so that section may not survive in the end.
"Europe has sent a message. They are aggressively pursuing the professional talent they need to compete on the global stage," said Robert Hoffman, Oracle's vice president for governmental affairs and co-chairman of Compete America, a coalition of technology companies and pro-business groups. "The Senate has unfortunately also sent a message, and it doesn't bode well for the U.S. economy."
doing, few people want to pursue "tech" (a rather strange term for
what has become a commodity service) as a career.
There are lot of them around the world, and if US companies aren't allowed to leverage them, then we'll contiunue to lose any tech advantage we have left as others snap them up. I can't imagine it could be any plainer. Our policy should be to bring the best brains on the planet into the US for our benefit.
1) All of the new male immigrant Americans 18-40 years old will be shipped off to Iraq for an indefinite amount of time to share the burden we all done observe.
2) A flat fine plus a 50% (or so) ten year disproportionate tax rate will be assessed to our new immigrant Americans.
3) Our new immigrant Americans will NOT be eligible for the welfares (WIC, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, Pell grants, TAPs, etc.) for at least 15 years.
I think that?s about it for the illegals to pay their dues to get in the country club that is America.
What a load of manure.
* All Federals laws regarding illegal aliens must be strictly enforced.
* U.S. Border with Mexico must be closed-off. U.S. troops placed on border for constant alert with the "right to engage enemy."
* All employers of illegal aliens must be fined, tried and convicted as felons.
* All current illegal aliens residing in U.S. must be deported immediately and the "extradition bill" sent to their home country. If the bill remains unpaid, rigorous sanctions will be enforced.
* New Immigrant Americans cannot bring relatives for 15+ years.
* "Anchor Baby" loop-hole must be declared unconstitutional.
Edward
They'd go home.
need", why don't you hire someone close then have them
trained?
As fast as technology changes, not to mention what's currently
popular/profitable, there's no way workers -especially young
cheap ones- can show up at your door with the exact skill set
"you require."
U.S. businsesses have long claimed that schools aren't putting
out job candidates with the skills those employers need. I say,
when have they ever? Since most every school will never train
students in whatever "popular" technology your product uses
today, that leaves you, U.S. businesses, to train your own
workforce. That's never going to change.
leader has such contempt for international law?
They are all welcome in Europe.
If a company has an employee base of 4,000 and they use H1b and L1 then expect the population of these H!B and L1 combined at around 3,000 of the total workforce. I think this should be illegal.
Immigrating to a new country is hard as it is.
Being on temporary status, we can deport you anytime we feel like and chain you to your employer is not a good way to attract the good people.
Since the US is largely benefiting from highly educated, qualified and entrepreneurial immigrants, it should welcome them with open arms, with no chains nor lengthy and expensive immigration process, controled by mean bureaucrats.
Abuse of L1/H1 is mainly due to the chaining aspect of these visas. I am all for abolishing these visas and granting green-cards to these good immigrants in a much easier and speedier manner.
While at it, abolish the INS as ineffective, slow bureaucratic organization that it is.
Most corporations claim that there is a lack of educated local works to fill the need. Yet, when are the corporations providing support back to the very communities (or the whole country) they make profit from? Do such companies actually pay an equal amount of taxes as say a middle income family? How much of their gross goes toward local schools and universities?
And how much of a person's education has to come out of their pocket; verses government assistance.
I could imagine a world where people could go to college for free, that America would be on the forefront of technology and industry and countries would clamoring to hire Americans to consult for them.
Gone or such days and perhaps they will never return.
Second, since there are not enough qualified people around locally, companies have no choice but to hire qualified foreigners or, if that's not possible, go where the qualified people are.
And, companies of course pay a lot of taxes. Your post exemplifies the lack of education in the US...
Senate Lobby Report(s) Jan.1 - Jun. 30, 2007
Oracle = $1,860,000.00
Microsoft = 4,780,000.00
Sun Microsystems = $280,000.00
Cisco Systems = $680,000.00
Apple Inc. = $720,000.00
Dell Inc. = $800,000.00
IBM = $3,860,000.00
Intel Corp = $1,099,000.00
http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/m_opr_viewer.exe?DoFn=0
for different reasons.
Engineering degrees awarded to U.S. Permanent Residents and Citizens.
Extrapolated from the American Society for Engineering Education data, "Engineering By the Numbers" Michael T. Gibbons (PDF)
DOCTORAL DEGREES 1999-2006 = 23,257
MASTERS DEGREES 1999-2006 = 155,298
BACHELOR'S DEGREES 1999-2006 = 685,007
The total number of Engineering PhDs awarded to foreign students in 2006 was 5,153, well within the annual 40,400 Employment-Based First Preference (E1) visa allotment.
The total number of Engineering Masters degrees awarded to foreign students in 2006 was 15,528, well within the annual 40,400 Employment-Based Second Preference (E2) visa allotment.
The total number of Engineering Bachelors degrees awarded to foreign students in 2006 was 5,341, well within the annual 40,400 Employment-Based Third Preference (E3) visa and recapture of unused (E2) visa allotment.
http://immigration-weaver.blogspot.com/2007/10/myth-shortage-of-domestic-engineering.html
Similar findings in Mathematics & Comp Science
http://immigration-weaver.blogspot.com/2007/10/myth-labor-shortage-in-computer-and.html
I came here in 1997 with the Y2K crisis. I came with company where all the employees were H1-B visa, 200 of them. They have local people but they needed people that can move easy from city to city. In 3 year they never increase my salary, and in 3 years I never had a real vacation, just between assignments a week here or there, and I had to stay at home, but never a real vacation. They never worked in me Green Card. After 3 years tired of moving, I decided to change to another company, where I had to start with the green card process again, after 2 year finally with this company e got my Green card. Now I am looking for a new job, but I am never good enough, always something is missing. Must of the offers are 6 months long. Are they going to bring worker to cover 6 months assignments. They don't want to pay any kind of benefit; they don't want to have any kind of commitment. I never fit any position because always something is missing. Must of the companies they want a worker to do things that used to be done by 2 or 3 employees. For example they want a mainframe specialist with experience in JAVA, and ASP. That is not going to happen, and of course they just complaining of lack of workers. I used to work for IBM, they outsourced everything, if they can save a Dollar, and they do. Microsoft created 42.000 new jobs in India, do you think, they did that to survive in the market, they control the market. Microsoft needed that same money to create Windows Vista, cheap so they can come here and sales us that useless software like a biggest 21th century event.
- by targetree May 11, 2009 7:02 PM PDT
- It is really important to know what your options are when you deal with U.S. permanent residency. Hope the rules and regulations will be lighter in the days to come.
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(24 Comments)To see additional details to speed up your permanent residency process, check:
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