Andrew Yang Policy on ENTICE HIGH-SKILL INDIVIDUALS

[Sherman A1]

America was built by those who wanted a better life and were willing to leave their home for that goal. Throughout our history, those born here have worked with those who have immigrated here to achieve some of our greatest accomplishments. America is greatest when native-born ideas are supplemented by fresh ideas from those who came here, like all of our ancestors, looking for a better life.

Since America has the greatest higher-education system in the world, many students are attracted here. Additionally, as we have some of the greatest companies headquartered here, high-skill workers are enticed by high salaries and great benefits.

As such, we should greatly expand our H-1B and F-1 visa programs to allow significantly more highly skilled individuals and top-of-their-class students to study and work here. Additionally, any highly rated worker or graduating student who receives a graduate degree here should be given a green card to remain in this country as a permanent resident.

"My father immigrated here from Taiwan to get his PhD in physics, stayed here, and generated over 50 U.S. patents for GE and IBM, two great American companies. We need to make sure that we are winning the global competition for talent to keep our economy strong and dynamic. It’s stupid to train top people and then let them leave, often to compete against us. We are in a global war for talent - the societies that attract the best and brightest are more competitive and innovative. America has traditionally won that battle. With me as your President, we will win again. We will make it clear that if you are smart and enterprising and want to build a business, there is no better place than the United States."

https://www.yang2020.com/policies/enticing-high-skill-individuals/

[marybourg]

1. Narrow view. Not impressed.

[Honeycombe8]

2. It sounds good at first, but the inside scoop isn't so rosy.

The visa immigrants are paid peanuts. They live in roommate situations because they don't get paid enough to live on their own, despite working in high-level science jobs. Companies use them instead of hiring Americans.

Trump/Repubs have tried in the past to get the allowed number of those work visas raised, but were unsuccessful. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/s2344

I think that part of why the Repubs have come up with the idea of requiring immigrants to be skilled, is to beef up the skilled worker numbers without having to change the law to increase the allowed number of work visas.

But I can understand wanting at least a certain percentage of immigrants to be skilled. Many countries have that requirement.