Pune: A group of leading technology companies has urged
the United States government to introduce robust policies that
would allow children of high-skilled immigrants to stay on legally in the
country upon turning 21.
Seventeen American technology companies including Google, Amazon, Salesforce and IBM have written to the Department of
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas seeking the change, as estimates
suggest that about 200,000 children are at the risk of ageing out of their
parents’ work permit if their residency applications are not processed on time.
A large majority of these are Indian nationals, who account
for about 70% of the H-1B high-skilled non-immigration visas issued annually.
The companies said this was preventing them from attracting
and retaining critical talent. American companies had over 11 million open
jobs, which is 5 million more openings than workers, according to the letter.
“Many of these job vacancies are for highly skilled
positions, and US companies recruit foreign-born workers to fill in the worker
shortages. These openings are especially critical given the pandemic as the US
seeks to maintain its world leader status in innovation and ingenuity,” it said.
Pandemic-induced delays in visa processing have made this
situation worse, it said.
"The best way to solve this problem overall is to
eliminate the per-country limit for employment-based green cards and increase
the number of such green cards. Legislation to protect the children of
long-time residents from aging out of the green card applications of their
parents would solve the immediate problem of aging out, with administrative
action to protect the children another option if legislation does not
pass," said Stuart Anderson, Executive Director, National Foundation for
American Policy.
The US administration has also been urged to pass the
America’s Children Act which would create a pathway to legal status for these
children.
This is not the first time that these companies have rallied
together on the topic of immigration.
Last year, nearly 30 companies had come out in support of
continuing the H4 EAD, a program which allows the spouses of H-1B visa holders to legally work in the United States.
Immigrant workers are a key source of talent for technology
companies, which have been increasingly applying for a larger number of work
permits over the last few years.
They then go on to sponsor green cards or permanent residency
for several of these visa holders as a way of ensuring that they can stay on in
the country and that the company does not lose access to highly skilled and
trained tech talent.
"The best way to solve this problem overall is to
eliminate the per-country limit for employment-based green cards and increase
the number of such green cards. Legislation to protect the children of
long-time residents from aging out of the green card applications of their
parents would solve the immediate problem of aging out, with administrative
action to protect the children another option if legislation does not
pass," said Stuart Anderson, Executive Director, National Foundation for American
Policy.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com