Bill Gates is speaking up against the limitations imposed on the number of H1-B visas given each year (photos here). For those who don't know, H1-B are temporary working visas for about six years given to professionals with higher degrees in technical fields. One of the conditions is that the employer can show that no Americans were available to fill the job.
After 911 the H1B visa cap was reduced from 135,000 to 60,000 and the effects on the econmony are now just starting to show up. Knowledgeable, and highly motivated foreign workers make a big chunk of the American IT industry. It is also known that 60% of the entrepreneurships and job creating companies are started by immigrants that come to America with a dream.
Another effect of 911 and the craze for security is a drop by 30% in the enrollment of international graduate students in the sciences. The universities are especially griping about this one because grad students function as the big workhorse for science departments: teaching, grading, research. If I recall correctly, the new policy of the government regarding international grad students in the tech fields is "Secure borders, open doors", which translates into: "If you have all your papers, we'll give you the visa." I know people who a few years ago were rejected a student visa even though they had full financial aid offers from Ivy League schools.
Asia is starting to seriously threaten America's lead in innovation and technology. And globally, the technology gap is getting smaller and smaller. It is no secret to anybody that the level of basic education in the States is not that great. If America stops being a brain magnet things will go down a slippery slope and become very hard to correct. Far from being biased, I hope that the government will open up the job market and if not encourage, at least allow employment of highly qualified internationals.
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