The United States must loosen its caps on work visas if it expects to remain the world’s innovation leader, Microsoft founder Bill Gates told Congress in March.
Gates called on Congress to attract and retain foreign workers by increasing allotments of H-B1 visas, which allow skilled immigrants to work the U.S.
“We live in an economy that depends on the ability of innovative companies to attract and retain the very best talent, regardless of nationality or citizenship. Unfortunately, the U.S. immigration system makes attracting and retaining highly skilled immigrants exceptionally challenging to U.S. firms,” Gates told the committee. “The United States will find it far more difficult to maintain its competitive edge over the next 50 years if it excludes those who are able and willing to help us compete.”
In addition to immigration reform, the United States must also target education, scientific funding and private sector research in order to avoid loosing its competitive edge in the world, Gates told the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology.
The U.S. should double the number of science, technology and mathematics graduates by 2015, Gates said. He added that programs must be put in place to ensure that American students acquire the skills needed to succeed in a technology-driven global economy.
“Too many of our students fail to graduate from high school with the basic skills they will need to succeed in the 21st century economy,” Gates told the committee. “Although our top universities continue to rank among the best in the world, too few American students are pursuing degrees in science and technology.”
Gates concluded by criticizing Congress for current caps on visas. Changes are needed, he said, to the country’s employment-based immigration system. Current caps top off at 140,000 H-B1 per year, but that number includes applicant spouses and children. And the number of visas issued to nationals of any one country cannot surpass 7 percent. These factors are hamstringing America’s ability to attract foreign workers.
“”I urge Congress to pass legislation that does away with per-county limits and significantly increases the number of green cards available in any fiscal year,” Gates told Congress. “Failure to do so will add to the already years-long wait for green cards and only encourage talented foreign nationals who are already contributing to innovation in U.S. companies to leave and take their talents elsewhere.”
