IndiaPost.com - Compete America endorses Immigration Voice effort

NEW YORK: Compete America and The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), have endorsed the effort by thousands of members of Immigration Voice to bring attention to a severe shortage of employment-based green cards and the need to reform a visa system that hinders the ability of US employers to attract and retain highly educated foreign professionals.

"Immigration Voice represents thousands of talented professionals who possess the knowledge and skills that help keep our companies on the cutting edge and help drive America's innovation economy," said Robert Hoffman, Vice President for Government and Public Affairs, Oracle, and Co-Chair of Compete America.

"We are proud to endorse their efforts and will continue to work towards our mutual goal of bringing long overdue reforms to the employment based green card system." Compete America has advocated reform to both the H-1B visa and employment-based green card programs, which have been responsible for welcoming and retaining much needed foreign talent to live and work in the United States, and most importantly, to make significant contributions to the U.S. economy and global competitiveness. H-1B shortages have been well documented, and backlogs in the green card system have forced thousands of valued foreign-born professionals - including researchers, scientists, teachers and engineers - into legal and professional limbo for years.

"The professionals who have come to the United States legally, who have excelled in our universities, and who are now working side-by-side with their American colleagues are making significant contributions to our economy. With other countries from Asia to the EU overhauling their immigration laws to attract skilled professionals, it is critical that we have a green card system that furthers our national interests - particularly our fundamental interest to remain the world's most innovative economy," Hoffman concluded.

Compete America is a coalition of corporations, educators, research institutions and trade associations concerned about legal, employment-based immigration. SIIA, the principal trade association for the software and digital information industry, also joined in support with the Immigration Voice, in an effort to obtain legislative reform of the green card system. "Software and digital content companies face a workforce skills shortage that is rising dramatically," said Mark Bohannon, General Counsel and Senior Vice President for SIIA.

"And the challenge will only get greater in the coming years. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs for computer software engineers in the U.S. is expected to reach 450,000 by 2014, a number that is well beyond the current expectations for qualified U.S.-born workers."

SIIA has long been a leading supporter of high-skilled immigration reform, including reform of both the H-1B visa and employment-based green card programs, critical elements for U.S. companies to recruit and retain the necessary talent to compete in the global economy. "In the Information Age, a highly educated and skilled workforce is essential as intellect and innovation give the United States its competitive edge.

And yet, we have thousands of highly-skilled workers here today who want nothing more than to work in the U.S. and contribute to our vibrant and strongly-growing economy, but who are at risk of being sent home to compete with us.

The price of failing to act will be steep. If we do not have green card reform this year, thousands of the talented professionals that presently work for American employers will leave to take jobs with our competitors abroad," Bohannon concluded. Immigration Voice, the nationwide grassroots group took out a peaceful rally last week, at the Capitol after marching from Washington Monument to renew its call for common-sense immigration reform for high-skilled workers already living legally in the US. Immigration Voice members from around the country are urging Congress to make the legislative changes necessary to build an efficient employment-based immigration system that keeps world-class talent in the US.

Immigration Voice has 23,000 members from across America and represents the interests of the 500,000 legal, employment-based immigrants caught in a bureaucratic backlog as they await their green cards. "Today, our members traveled from their homes all across America to express their concern for the broken legal immigration system for highly-skilled workers," said Aman Kapoor, President of Immigration Voice.

"Congress must fix this broken system in order to keep America competitive and to retain some of the brightest minds who have come here from around the world. Our members shouldn't have to spend years or even decades in limbo. All they want is to be a part of mainstream society and contribute to the economy without any restraints."

"The current backlog and the lack of concern shown by the Congress towards highly- skilled legal professionals is disheartening," said Kapoor. "These professionals have played by the rules, entered this country legally and have used the most productive years of their lives contributing to America's growth.

These individuals are trapped in an immigration process hopelessly red in inefficiencies, lack of transparency and mind-boggling delays. Almost everyone agrees that these problems can be easily fixed, but people need to stand up and demand common-sense reform."