For years, suggestions about reforming our broken immigration system have been met with the reply, “we can tackle that once we secure the border.” Given the crisis at our southern border, that was an appropriate response. Now, thanks to the efforts of President Trump and his Administration, the border is secure, and there are enough resources committed to ensure it stays that way.
This development makes possible what could be a signature achievement for the President and Congress that has eluded many others—commonsense immigration reform that will drive America’s economic growth.
President Trump has long acknowledged the need for more legal immigrants as President, as a candidate, and as a businessman. Increased levels of immigration across all skill levels and better educational and skills training opportunities for Americans are complementary efforts that together will help our economy grow.
Unfortunately, we haven’t adjusted many of our immigration programs since before the invention of the internet, and businesses of all sizes face a worker shortage. If we are to continue to drive business investment in the U.S., grow our economy and stay competitive with countries like China, America needs more workers of all skill levels.
A common misperception is that legal immigrants compete with American workers for scarce jobs. The reality, however, is that legal immigrants help grow the economy and support more job creation at higher wages. High-skilled workers on H-1B visas contribute to the growth of companies, which creates more jobs for everyone. And seasonal and agricultural workers help keep our farms, construction sites, and hospitality businesses up and running.
We also need to invest in our homegrown talent. Our education system has not kept pace with the needs of businesses in this global economy. A recent study from the U.S. Chamber and the College Board showed 84% of hiring managers agree most students are not prepared to enter the workforce out of high school. While there is a lot of interest in reforming our educational system, there is also a lot of entrenched opposition resistant to change. Our nation’s failing report card in math and sciences forces many businesses to create their own programs to address these challenges.
At the Chamber and our Foundation, we have over a dozen programs such as our Talent Pipeline Management initiative to align education programs with employer needs, our Hiring our Heroes initiative to place veterans with employers, and our recent partnership with the College Board to develop AP business courses that give high school graduates real-world experience.
To complement reforms to our education system, we need more legal immigration to help our economy reach its potential.
This year, there were over 470,000 petitions for high-skilled visas under the H-1B program, which has been capped at 65,000 new visas a year since 1990. An additional 20,000 visas have been available for holders of advanced U.S. university degrees since 2005. Foreign-born students flock to the United States for our world-class universities, and many of them wish to stay here and contribute to our economy. Without a robust visa program, these skilled workers are forced to take their talents elsewhere.
Written by Neil Bradley
Executive Vice President, CPO, & Head of Strategic Advocacy
US Chamber of Commerce