The bipartisan bill aims to retain STEM talent.
Reps. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) and Mike Quigley (D-IL) have reintroduced a bill to retain foreign born talents in the United States by exempting them from the existing visa limits.
The bill, titled “Stopping Trained in America Ph.D.s from Leaving the Economy (STAPLE) Act”, if passed, will exempt foreign-born individuals with an American Ph.D. in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) from the existing limits on the number of employment-based green cards and H-1B visas awarded annually.
“It is no surprise that the brightest minds from around the world come to the United States to pursue their advanced degrees, and we should be doing all we can to ensure students we educate and train here use what they’ve learned to contribute to the American economy,” said Paulsen.
“With thousands of high-skilled jobs going unfilled, the STAPLE Act makes sure American companies are getting the talent they need. By stapling a green card or visa to their diplomas, these professionals can invent and innovate new discoveries that grow our economy,” he added.
“If we are serious about fostering innovation, spurring economic activity, and staying competitive in the global marketplace, we must encourage the brightest minds in the world to study, work, and stay in our communities,” said Quigley.
“We cannot advance our technology or research if we continue sending foreign-born, but U.S. educated, students with advanced degrees away. I am proud to join Rep. Paulsen in re-introducing the STAPLE Act, which invests in our future by supporting STEM educated professionals that want to contribute to our economy and society,” he added.
According to current visa norms, H-1B visa, which is the most popular non-immigrant work visa category, is subjected to yearly caps, and many in the industry say that the cap falls short of the number of talent required by the companies to fulfil their worker needs.
Each year, USCIS awards 65,000 H-1B visas. This year, USCIS received close to 199,000 H-1B applications, which means two-out-of- three applicants will not get visas in the lottery based selection process.
According to a 2011 report of American Enterprise Institute, “an additional 100 foreign-born workers in STEM fields with advanced degrees from U.S. universities is associated with an additional 262 jobs among U.S. natives.”
Earlier this year, California Republican Darrell Issa had re-introduced a bill aimed at cracking down on the H-1B visa abuse by making major amendments to the existing program, allowing only highly skilled foreign employees work in the US.