Immigration Policy

Limit Nearing on Admission of Foreign Tech Workers

One of the greatest headaches for technology industry leaders is the shortage of skilled workers. More than two-thirds of them cite it as a barrier to growth in the coming year and half say it is the biggest barrier.

So far, they have been relying on skilled foreign workers to fill the gap. But that alternative may soon be closed.

  • As early as May or June, companies will reach the 65,000 ceiling on the number of visas that let foreign professionals work in the U.S. for up to six years.

  • Although the ceiling on the number of those visas hasn't been raised in eight years, demand for high-tech workers has exploded.

  • The Hudson Institute estimates that if companies aren't able to fill these slots with foreign workers it could reduce economic growth by some 5 percent.

  • Between now and the year 2006, the number of jobs in information technology will nearly double, according to Labor Department estimates -- reaching about 2.6 million.

Industry surveys indicate there are 346,000 jobs in the technology sector currently going unfilled.

Experts say that industry leaders are stuck with three options: not expand, export jobs to the countries were workers are, or import workers.

Bills introduced in Congress by Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.) and Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.) would raise the foreign tech-worker cap to about 90,000 for this fiscal year, as well as fund scholarships in technology.

Source: Anna Bray Duff, "Is America's Immigration Policy Making Worker Shortage Worse?" Investor's Business Daily, March 24, 1998.

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