Just ask the members and executives of TechNet, a political network of CEOs and businessmen in the technology industry who have united for comprehensive immigration reform.
TechNet: innovators for immigration reform
Last week, members and representatives of TechNet met with President Obama to discuss the shortcomings and possibilities of immigration reform in the context of the tech sector: an industry with a unique and compelling interest in immigration reform.
An excerpt of their letter of intent reads as follows:
"The United States has a long history of welcoming talented, hard-working people to our shores. Immigrant entrepreneurs have gone on to found thousands of companies with household names like eBay, Google, PayPal and Yahoo! to name just a few. These companies provide jobs, drive economic growth and generate tax revenue at all levels of government.
"Yet because our current immigration system is outdated and inefficient, many high- skilled immigrants who want to stay in America are forced to leave because they are unable to obtain permanent visas."
Since the momentum of the US appears to be picking up speed in the direction of technology, the demand for people to work in tech jobs is rapidly on the rise, while simultaneously the number of qualified US citizens to fill these jobs is declining. Tech companies have historically had a knack for hiring highly-skilled foreign nationals to fill the void of technology jobs, but the amount of allowable immigrant visas has not risen with the demand.
This may be the land of opportunity, but for some tech companies, this represents an opportunity lost.
iMarch: the March for Innovation
Another sub-sector of tech companies in the US has begun to organize a virtual march on Washington - a demonstration which fits its industry. Marchers plan to utilize email, Facebook, Twitter, and other web-based media to rally support for and draw attention to immigration reform.
The iMarch, supported by representatives of such industry leaders as AOL, Gilt, Tumblr, Bit.ly, DropBox, and many more, is projected to debut late this spring. For more information or to join the march, visit the iMarch's website or follow the hashtag #iMarch on Twitter.
More information on high-skilled immigration reform
- The I-Squared Act of 2013
- The Startup Act 3.0
- Bipartisan Proposal on High-Skilled Immigration Reform
For more information on high-skilled immigrant visas, and to find out if you qualify for one, feel free to contact our immigration team or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.