President Barack Obama will let more foreign graduates of U.S. colleges with scientific and engineering backgrounds temporarily work in the country, partially addressing technology industry leaders’ desire for more skilled employees.Obama will expand a program that now allows foreign graduates in science, technology, engineering and math fields to work in the U.S. for up to 29 months, said a person familiar with the White House plan.
Technology executives have focused their lobbying on raising the number of longer-term visas for skilled workers, a provision that is included in immigration legislation stalled in the House.Between 100,000 and 200,000 people are working in the U.S. under the temporary Optional Training Program that Obama plans to expand, according to Wadhwa.That compares to about 750,000 on the long-term H-1B visa program that the legislation stalled in Congress would increase.
President Barack Obama will let more foreign graduates of U.S. colleges with scientific and engineering backgrounds temporarily work in the country, partially addressing technology industry leaders’ desire for more skilled employees.
Obama will expand a program that now allows foreign graduates in science, technology, engineering and math fields to work in the U.S. for up to 29 months, said a person familiar with the White House plan.
The expansion is among executive actions Obama plans to take as soon as tomorrow. Technology executives have focused their lobbying on raising the number of longer-term visas for skilled workers, a provision that is included in immigration legislation stalled in the House.
Kim Berry, president of the Programmers Guild, an activist group that opposes laws that allow tech companies to employ cheaper foreign workers, said the expansion would hurt job prospects of native-born students receiving technical degrees.
Even new graduates from the best schools have a tough time finding jobs, since there are only so many entry-level positions, Berry said.
Unlike the H-1B visa program, companies aren’t required to pay prevailing industry wages to foreign workers employed through the temporary training program.
It’s coming. Immigration Reform is finally coming in the form on Executive Action. Watch the news Thursday 8 PM EST. You can watch the President live tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET at WhiteHouse.gov/Live.
Here’s some possible proposals that President Obama can include for High Skilled Immigration Reforms
- Allow applicants to apply for EAD after I-140 approvals ( instead of I-485)
- Applicants to get Immigration documents directly from, so employers can’t control the date of workers ( like what IT consultants do now).
- Changes to Green Card process, so emploee can change employers and continue with teh process withotu starting all over again.
- Allow both spouse to use same priority Date between primary applicant’s Employment Based green card process.
- Allow immigrants to start companies and work for their own companies by removing current restructions
- Publish EAD for H4 visa holders rule.
- Recapture ununsed Green Card from past years.
- Don’t count all family members for Visa numbers.
