Temporary visas help land big talent!

[Bravo Zulu]

Scotland native James Gourlay starts work next month as music director and conductor of the River City Brass Band. While he's considered to rank among the most accomplished tuba soloists and brass conductors in the world, Mr. Gourlay is not a U.S. citizen - a fact that could have put his hiring in jeopardy if the Pittsburgh band had not successfully made the case that he is the best and most qualified person they could employ.

The specialized visa for nonimmigrant artists that he obtained from the U.S. Embassy in London will allow Mr. Gourlay to work and perform here for three years.

"He is the best tuba player in the world; he has five solo CDs," said Ellen Freeman, the attorney from K&L Gates who helped secure the temporary visa designed for artists with an "extraordinary ability."

"Nevertheless, we have to ask the government, 'Can you please allow him to come?'"

When arts groups such as the brass band bring in a renowned foreign talent, it rarely provokes the controversy that surrounds immigrant workers who hold more conventional occupations and who many Americans argue take jobs away from U.S. citizens.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10227/1079898-407.stm#ixzz0wezlj7tx

[Edweird]

1. Legitimate H1B's are so rare they make the news, huh?

[MajorChode]

2. The controversy is misplaced anyway

Those who claim to be so vehemently against illegal immigration almost always blame the immigrants themselves. If a company needs employees to do something Bush described as "jobs Americans won't do", they can sponsor those immigrants and provide legal employment for them. They don't because it's much easier and cheaper to simply hire illegal immigrants, and there's virtually no fear of prosecution. If there's any controversy, it should be aimed at the employers who are doing the illegal hiring.

[LooseWilly]

3. I don't buy that he's more talented than any Mariachi tuba-ist...

I mean, EVERY mariachi band has a tuba. The tuba takes the role of the drums in a mariachi band...

Of course, I also doubt that AZ ever had any plans to pull over everyone who looked like he/she might be an illegal Scottish immigrant (or that they're liable to stop legal Scottish immigrants and demand to see their papers).

The River City Brass Band obviously is mis-using its funding, and overspending on employees... and either its shareholders (if it's a privately run band) or the taxpayers (if it is somehow affiliated officially with a River City) should fire the CEO, sue him/her for misappropriation of funds, and immediately set to work looking to hire "Jaime Gourlay-o" from Guanajuato at 1/45th the cost of this Scottish Git.

:sarcasm: (for those who need a big sign to indicate the obvious)