America’s immigration policy should encourage the world’s brightest minds to create jobs and start businesses in America. Immigrants make up only 12 percent of the U.S. population but are responsible for 25 percent of the country’s patents and comprise 47 percent of science and engineering workers with PhDs. The large presence of immigrants in high-tech fields actually creates more jobs than they take away for native-born Americans.

 

Many talented immigrants who come to the U.S. to study are unable to get visas after they receive their degrees and are returning to their home country, often starting businesses and creating jobs there instead. We should be encouraging these high-achievers to keep contributing to the U.S. economy.

 

SOLUTIONS 

 

Increase Caps on Visas for Highly-Skilled Workers 

The U.S. currently caps the number of highly-skilled foreign workers permitted to receive special H-1b visas allowing them to work in the U.S. This policy keeps some of the best minds in the world out. Congress should significantly raise the H-1b visa cap, enabling some of the world’s brightest to spur job creation in the U.S.

 

Create an Automatic 1-year Visa Extension for International Students Earning Doctorates in Science-related Fields of Study 

Encourage job creation in the U.S. by automatically extending visas for international students earning doctorates in the sciences, engineering, mathematics and technology.