commentaries

A non-snarky question: was there some reason Dr Arora did not become a citizen during those 16 years?

Re: "[The legislation] helps ensure that students from other countries who obtain advanced science-related degrees in American universities are able to stay here to start the next Google or 3M in our country, instead of using their American education to start it in China." Coupla things, Senator Klobuchar: (1) Will "the [minimum of $3 billion over 10 years in] fees that businesses pay for green cards and visas" further reduce income of US workers as The Market continues to devalue work by importing engineers, software developers and other skilled workers who will work for less than Americans will work? (2) Why a ten-year increase in numbers (20,000 more foreign workers/year for nine years in addition to the immediate increase from 65,000 to 115,000)? Are there not enough "top minds" in Minnesota capable of earning "advanced degrees from American universities" in less than that time? Top minds who can "invent products," start the next Apple or Microsoft, and hire American "workers, dreamers, inventors, scientists and researchers"?

In other words, shouldn't our Minnesota Senator have confidence in the abilities and ambition of Minnesota's top minds? Rephrasing the title of this commentary, "Shouldn't Congress be thinking of ways to educate American talent in American universities for the jobs which will ensure a strong American economy?"

It is POSSIBLE that citizenship and long-term visas should be made simpler and easier - but only if we can enforce our current laws and export those who choose to come and stay illegally. Since Amy and her friends in Washington have not been willing to do this we should not accept more empty promises in exchange for ignoring the current law-breakers. Let's reward those who come here legally and live by our rules - and hold these politicians responsible for not working to enforce the laws they've already passed.

--- In other words, shouldn't our Minnesota Senator have confidence in the abilities and ambition of Minnesota's top minds? Rephrasing the title of this commentary, "Shouldn't Congress be thinking of ways to educate American talent in American universities for the jobs which will ensure a strong American economy?"--- Only 5 percent of current college graduate get a degree in one of the engineering disciplines, but the economy can easily handle twice that number. The issue is many kids don't cant/wont put in the extra effort/discipline that is called for to get an engineering degree. Business is screaming for more engineers and has been for years and Engineers have some of the highest starting Salaries for college grads. The option is there for students, they just don't choose to go that route.

Amy, I think that you are dodging the real issue. We have eight percent unemployment, we spend TONS of money on education and yet we can't find a way to make these opportunities available to our kids? I work for a global 100 company and the majority of our technology resources are from India (here and in India). They are very well educated, have the right skills, work very hard and are terrific to work with. How do we reform our educational systems and partnerships with the business community to make these opportunities available to Americans first?

As Sen. Klobuchar notes, American higher ed is a magnet for the brightest minds that can get here. It's in our national interest, if we wish to lead the world economically in the future, to make it possible to stay. And not just in stem: musicians, teachers-to-be, writers. And we'll all be richer culturally and financially for it. While I see Pumice's excellent point, I like to think that more of a good thing is more. The jobs and, dare we hope, the wages will follow.

Elmore1, SciMathMN is a public-private partnership that has been working on STEM-education issues for many years now. The issue is more complex than the Senator is describing. There are a fair number of US-born-and-trained engineers and scientists here who are un/under-employed despite very solid backgrounds. This mismatch between vacancies and the unemployment rate is vexing and has been the subject of much discussion; our political leaders are informed only by what they hear on the topic from employer groups.

ti1310, In most cases there is a restriction on the number of engineering students at the UofMN. All the more reason to make sure our students have first crack at the slots.

Robert X. Cringely on H-1B visas: "It’s a non-immigrant visa and so has nothing at all to do with staying in the USA, becoming a citizen, or starting a business.... A key argument for H-1B [from such IT leaders as Bill Gates] has always been that there’s a shortage of technical talent in U.S. IT. This has been taken as a given by both major political parties. But it’s wrong. [Rigorous studies by Rand Science and Technology and Rand National Defense Research Institute, research funded by Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the National Science Foundation, research by the Office of Population Research and National Bureau of Economic Research] show there is no shortage of STEM workers in the U.S. nor the likelihood of such a shortage in years to come.

"One defense of H-1B might be that it raises overall skill levels, but studies show H-1B employees to be consistently less capable than their U.S. citizen counterparts. This data point is especially interesting because it is drawn from the LCA data where applying companies claimed that 56 percent of H-1B applicants were in the lowest skill category and could therefore be paid the least. So at the same time companies are claiming they need the H-1B program to bring in skilled workers, the workers they are bringing in aren’t very skilled at all." Also from the report cited, "While higher than the prevailing wage claims, the actual wages reported for H-1B workers were significantly less than those of their American counterparts. Wages for H-1B workers averaged $12,000 below the median wage for U.S. workers in the same occupation and location." (Center for Immigration Studies)