LOS ANGELES, Sept 12 (Xinhua): Led by California, 13 US states yesterday urged Congress to push for immigration reform to protect skilled workforce California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, joined by governors from 12 other states, sent a letter to the leaders of the US Senate and House of Representatives, urging Congressional action this year on immigration reform that recognises states' needs to remain competitive in a global economy.
"As the chief executives of our respective states, we appreciate the enormity of the task involved in reforming our nation's immigration laws," said the letter.
The letter stressed the "paramount importance" of protecting and preserving the safety and interests of the United States and its citizens while recognising the states' and nation's economic needs.
"Fundamentally, we believe our states' businesses should be able to find the world's best-educated workers among our own citizens," said the letter.
The letter called for continued efforts to make significant investments in math and science education to ensuring that two-and four-year colleges and universities are able to accommodate more students who are preparing for high-demand fields, especially in engineering, math and computer science.
"While we concentrate on building a highly skilled and competitive workforce for increasing opportunities in high-tech jobs, unfortunately, today, we and our nation face a critical shortage of highly skilled professionals in math and science to fill current needs," said the letter.
"Until we are able to address this workforce shortage, we must recognise that foreign talent has a role to play in our ability to keep companies located in our state and country; and, therefore, need to ensure the increased availability of temporary H1-B visas, and permanent resident visas (green cards)," the letter said.
Under the current H1-B system, the number of visas available has been running out faster and faster each year. The current base cap of 65,000 was arbitrarily set in 1990, and today bears no relation to the US economy and its demand for skilled professionals, according to the letter.
In fact, in fiscal year 2007, the supply of H1-B visas did not last eight weeks into the filing period, and ran out more than four months before the fiscal year even began; and in fiscal year 2008, the supply ran out on the first day of the filing period, the letter said.
The green card system, also last devised in 1990, faces severe shortages that most heavily impact the high technology industry, forcing some of the most innovative contributors to the US economy to wait well in excess of five years for a green card.
"Because of these delays we are seeing more and more of these talented individuals leave their US jobs and return home," said the letter.
"If states like ours are to remain world leaders in innovation and intend to continue to see the job growth that is so vital to our economies, we must keep our employers in our states and ensure there is a skilled workforce in this country to fill their immediate needs," the letter noted.
"While wholesale immigration reform may not be possible in the 110th Congress, we urge Congressional action this year that recognises states' immediate need to recruit and retain professionals in key sectors, while we continue to produce here at home the skilled workforce our companies need in the long-term," the letter said.
Thirteen US states call for protection of skilled workforce
FE Team | Published: September 13, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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