Visa Program Caps Skilled Math And Science Workers

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/6379

Visa Program Caps Skilled Math And Science Workers - 07/17/07

A little discussed aspect of immigration concerns visas for skilled workers in the math and sciences. Jesse Russell looks at the impact of recent immigration caps on these fields:

By Jesse Russell

When a teacher in Houston, Texas recently found herself out of a H-1B visa due to a cap that limits foreign skilled workers to 65,000 per year - Immigration Attorney Maria Cordon filed for an exemption. Demand for the visas increase year after year even as Congressional caps on visas get smaller and smaller. Due to a shortage of U.S. workers in math and sciences, workers and businesses are increasing the demand to increase cap limits.

Cordon said that due to the poor pay skilled teachers receive less and less Americans in the field are taking on those jobs:

: Can’t find math teachers, can’t find science teachers because the occupation does not pay too well. So if you are going to make so little money why wouldn’t you go work and make more money.

Cordon said one of the problems is that Congress is listening to the will of the public who are mostly uninformed about skilled immigration. She suggested the best way to change minds is through education by publishing the visa regulations and allowing public comment:

: If you have regulations public you give everybody – the US public – an opportunity to comment on the regulations or the proposed regulations before they get enacted into law.

[antigop]

1. There isn't a shortage of US workers in math and sciences

Just check out all of the laid off programmers and engineers, especially older ones.

[pnwmom]

3. That's true. It's also true that graduate and undergraduate schools

choose to accept a high number of foreign students, probably because of the money they bring in.

So part of the reason that there appear not to be enough new graduates is that the Universities have chosen to fill many slots with foreign nationals.

[LBJDemocrat]

2. Uh.

"Can’t find math teachers, can’t find science teachers because the occupation does not pay too well. So if you are going to make so little money why wouldn’t you go work and make more money."

Then raise the fucking pay.