During our recent four-part series on the current state of H-1B visas, we touched on a few areas where the program needs evaluation and reform. We hope businesses and other interested parties here in central Ohio took a look at the posts (which can be found HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE) in order to familiarize themselves with the current state of affairs.
It seems possible that discussions this week in Washington D.C. are a step on the path to improving some of those H-1B issues we wrote about.
TechNet, a lobbying group that works on behalf of the tech industry, sent a large contingent to meet with representatives of both Congress and President Obama. Their goal was for to lobby lawmakers on a number of issues including reform of the country's visa program.
The contingent from TechNet included more than 50 representatives, including the CEO of Cisco and high-ranking officials from NASDAQ OMX and the New York Stock Exchange. They are to meet with representatives from both parties.
TechNet President and CEO Rey Ramsey said to win the future America must invest in "future discoveries that will create good paying jobs for more of our people."
"To reach that goal," Ramsey said, "we must make the smart policy choices on . . . high skilled immigration."
A statement from TechNet prior to this week's meetings said the network is looking for a complete overhaul of America's highly skilled immigration system. TechNet believes programs like H-1B need to better reflect the modern economy.
Their suggestions include increasing the number of H-1B visas available to foreign-born workers and ensuring that foreign-born students who obtain advanced degrees in the U.S. can remain in the country.
Listed among TechNet's primary global initiatives is to create "A 21st Century Workforce." As part of that goal the network is working towards improving the quality of the country's workforce, an effort that would allow for innovation and eventually improved economic growth.
To that end, Tech Net supports critical issues related to education, human capital support, as well as: "high-skilled immigration reform."
