In the News
Ex-Sen. Sununu, Tech Firms Push House to Raise Visa Cap for STEM Workers
SOURCE: KUHF Former Sen. John Sununu, R-New Hampshire is pushing for Congress to double the number of visas available to high tech workers. Such a move would benefit Houston in particular. Nearly one in every four jobs produced in Houston is a STEM job – requiring knowledge of science, technology, engineering or math. The number of American graduates in STEM fields falls well short of demand. The H-1B visa program allows foreigners pursuing these fields to study and work in the United States. There’s an annual limit on H-1-B visas. Former Sen. Sununu says that cap is long out of… Read More »
TIAM: Will Immigration Reform Mean More Jobs in Missouri?
SOURCE: KMOX Former U.S. Senator John Sununu explained why he is behind inSPIRE STEM USA and how he thinks it will bring more jobs to the Show-Me State. … Listen to the interview »
Read More »Former Senator Pushes for Immigration Reform
SOURCE: WDET A former U.S. Senator leads a coalition of tech companies and education groups who are advocating for immigration reform in Washington D.C. The coalition, inSPIRE STEM USA, wants immigration reform as a means of boosting the economy through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) careers. inSPIRE STEM USA is urging congress to pass an immigration reform that could add 5,600 STEM related jobs in Michigan in 2014 and 14,100 jobs by 2020. … Listen to the interview »
Politico Morning Tech for July 30, 2013
SOURCE: Politico inSPIRE STEM USA PITCHING HILL ON IMMIGRATION’S TECH, AGRICULTURE BOOSTS – The advocacy group is hosting a briefing this afternoon on the economic benefits of comprehensive immigration reform, and they’re getting a hand from tech. The meeting, open only to congressional staffers, will feature Microsoft’s Bill Kamela, the National Association of Manufacturers’ Christine Scullion, and Hamilton place Strategies’ Tony Fratto. As part of the pitch, attendees can expect to hear plenty about the need for a STEM education fund, which some like inSPIRE had pushed aggressively for as part of the Hill’s immigration work. They got it in… Read More »
STEM Skills Seeping into More Blue-Collar Jobs
SOURCE: Austin-American Statesman The walls have started to rise in North Austin, forming the shell of HID Global’s new $35 million manufacturing, warehousing, distribution and customer service center. The company has begun to hire the first handful of the 276 workers it pledged to employ in exchange for $3.5 million in local and state tax incentives, although it won’t start hiring in earnest until later this year. Yet already – months before the plant has installed its first machine or produced its first security or identity-authentication card – the expectations for its employee base reflect the widespread transformation sweeping through… Read More »
Compete America and Congressional High Tech Caucus Brief Hill Staffers on New Research Highlighting Benefits of High-Skilled Immigration
SOURCE: Compete America Today, the Congressional High Tech Caucus, a bipartisan group of Members of Congress led by Representatives Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Doris Matsui (D-CA), and Compete America, a coalition of the nation’s high tech companies, associations and colleges that supports high-skilled immigration reform, briefed Congressional staff on the results of research from two respected economists on the positive impact of increasing high-skilled immigration. “Today’s briefing allowed us to show Congressional staffers empirical evidence that more high-skilled immigration means more American jobs,” said Scott Corley, Executive Director of Compete America. “As the House begins to consider immigration reform legislation,… Read More »
How Immigration Reform Might Also Spur Young Americans to Study Math, Science
SOURCE: The Christian Science Monitor Tucked into immigration reform legislation in both chambers of Congress are little-noticed measures that could pump hundreds of millions of dollars into cultivating a new generation of American students interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (or STEM). Such a move could help shore up what much of corporate America and many lawmakers see as a glaring deficiency in the nation’s long-term economic competitiveness. The bills offer at least $200 million per year (but perhaps as much as $700 million, advocates say) by channeling fees from high-skilled visas into investments in STEM education and job… Read More »
No Shortage of STEM Workers?
SOURCE: HR Magazine Contrary to popular belief, there’s no shortage of U.S. workers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, according to a study by the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank in Washington D.C. … However, Beneva Schulte, exectutive director of inSPIRE STEM USA, a coalition of businesses and educators lobbying for more H-1B visas, disputes the findings. She acknowledges that the overall number of STEM graduates in the U.S. has increased. “But with the growth of technology and IT businesses in the U.S., the increase is not keeping pace with employers’ needs, making the STEM crisis… Read More »
Local Push to Keep Immigrant Tech Talent in the U.S.
SOURCE: New York Daily News Hungarian-born software engineer Peter Lada moved to Queens with plans for an internet startup geared towards restaurant owners. A year and a half later, EasyPairings.com – which quickly matches eatery managers with job seekers through “one-click hiring” – is growing. Lada was able to make his dream happen here because he has a green card through marriage – but said he’s seen many fellow immigrant techies leave the U.S. due to visa woes or long waits to become a legal resident. “A lot of really good people have packed up and moved back. I think… Read More »
Bill Would Boost Number of Green Cards to Students
SOURCE: The San Diego Union-Tribune Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista on Thursday helped introduce a bill that would grant up to 55,000 green cards each year to qualified foreign-born students who have earned advanced degrees in science, technology, mathematics and engineering in the United States. The legislation also would boost — from 65,000 to 155,000 — the annual number of visas issued to high-skilled workers from abroad. Issa joined fellow Republican Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia in introducing the measure in the House Judiciary Committee. The legislation is called the SKILLS Visa Act, short for the Supplying Knowledge-Based Immigrants and… Read More »