In a down economy with higher unemployment, it is easy for programs like H-1B to be cast as standing in the way of Americans finding new and higher paying jobs. Our readers here in Columbus, Ohio have heard us challenge that narrative on a number of occasions.
And that is why a recently released study by the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research has the potential to be of significant benefit in terms of public opinion on the issue.
AEI's study contains a number of eye-opening findings, foremost among them that an average of 262 new jobs for Americans can be linked to every 100 foreign-born workers graduating from U.S. universities with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The study looked at the eight-year period between 2000 and 2007.
"Immigrants with advanced degrees boost employment for US natives," the report says in its executive summary.
Additionally, during the same period adding 100 H-1B workers resulted in an additional 183 jobs for native U.S. citizens in a given state. That number grows to 464 with the H-2B visa category.
Along the same lines, the report found that 86 additional jobs for U.S. natives are associated with every additional 100 immigrants with advanced STEM degrees from any school. In contrast, 44 jobs are associated with every 100 immigrants with advanced degrees regardless of field or university location.
It found "there is no evidence that immigrants take jobs from U.S.-born workers" and that "highly educated immigrants pay far more in taxes than they receive in benefits."
The study concludes that prioritizing workers who earn advanced degrees from U.S. universities, expanding the number of permanent visas given to highly-educated workers and making available more temporary visas like H-1B for all workers would have the net result of increasing job creation.
AEI points out that those steps do not require new taxes or any cuts to spending.
The U.S. needs the administration to look at programs like H-1B using objective studies such as this one, rather than fear.
This country continues to have a shortage in citizens with these STEM degrees. The result is we are continually seing companies move oversees to find talent, which is a drain on our resources and revenue.
