A bill intended to increase the amount of visas given to foreign-born graduates of U.S. universities with advanced technical degrees could pass the full House chamber this week, National Journal reports.Juliana Gruenwald writes the bill would assign up to 55,000 green cards per year year to foreign students who graduate from qualified U.S. schools with a doctorate or master’s degree in the science, technology, engineering and math fields.
The Diversity Visa Program, which the bill would eliminate, currently assigns up to 55,000 green cards via a lottery to people from countries that send low numbers of immigrants to the U.S.
Jennifer Martinez of The Hill newspaper Smith’s bill failed to gather two-thirds of support needed to move through the chamber in the fall.
According to Martinez, the White House does not support the STEM Jobs Act and views it as an attempt to piecemeal immigration bills in lieu of tackling comprehensive immigration reform.
Trade groups representing technology companies including Microsoft, Intel and Google support the bill, that report said.
The STEM Jobs Bill of 2012 that passed the House today grants 55,000 green cards to foreign STEM students in US colleges – and simultaneously eliminates the Diversity Visa Program and 55,000 Green Cards for immigrants from underrepresented countries.
The bill discriminates against Americans and immigrants from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. It deprives Americans and non-India immigrants an equal opportunity to achieve their own American Dream. It reduces classroom seats, dorm space, financial aid for students, and a fair chance for American citizens to compete for jobs in our own country.
The mythical skills shortage is the big lie. There is NO shortage of American talent more than ready, willing, and able to fill these jobs and take our country forward.
Why can’t Silcon Valley and Microsoft find skilled talent? Because they don’t want to.
Since Microsoft bought the high tech immigration visa law (H-1b), they (and other high tech companies) are not legally required to ever consider Americans for American jobs.
If there’s a tech skills shortage, then WHY.
• Did Microsoft layoff 5,000 Americans, and hire 5000+ foreign guest worker replacements?
• Why won’t MS call recruit the employees they laid off BEFORE hiring more foreign visa workers?
Make no mistake, this high tech company strategy has nothing to do with a mythical labor shortage and everything to do with corporate greed and labor arbitrage.