US changes visa rules to keep foreign talent

The United States said Tuesday it will soon start issuing work visas to the spouses of some foreign workers as part of a drive to retain highly skilled people. The change will affect the spouses of people with so-called H-1B visas, a limited-term working visa that employees obtain when they are sponsored by their companies. As it stands now, their spouses only get a "dependent" H-4 visa which allows them to live in the US but not to work. When spouses cannot work foreign families tend not to settle in the United States, depriving it of many workers highly skilled in science and technology. Under the changes, spouses of people with H-1B visas who have applied for permanent residency 'green cards' can also apply for permission to work, according to AFP.