Agreeing with your neighbor on hot-button issues can be tough–particularly these days. But Americans, from across the political spectrum, are united in support for welcoming more skilled immigrants workers from overseas to the United States.
That’s according to a new survey of over 2,000 registered voters from the (EIG), a public policy organization based in Washington, D.C. Seven in 10 voters surveyed support increasing the number of skilled immigrants, defined as those with a high level of educational achievement or specialized professional skills.
Additionally, three-quarters of voters responded favorably when increasing skilled immigration was linked to promoting economic growth and creating jobs for workers.
Immigrants make up a large portion of the U.S. labor force–17.4 percent according to 2021 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bringing more skilled workers to the country could help bridge a labor gap that’s persisted in some industries since the pandemic.
While recent layoffs in the tech sector–which are estimated to have put 120,000 people out of a job–showcase less of a need for said talent, that’s just one sector. Companies including Accenture and even Walmart regularly hire H-1B visa holders.
Since the H-1B visa category was created in 1990, Congress has limited the number of the visas made available each year. The current annual cap is 65,000 visas, with 20,000 additional visas for foreign professionals who graduate with a master’s degree or doctorate from a U.S. institution of higher learning, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. These visas are often highly desirable and typically it doesn’t take long to hit the cap. In 2022, for example, the H-1B visa cap had been met by February 28. Employers can begin submitting applications at the start of the fiscal year, October 1.
In terms of policy pathways for increasing skilled immigration, voters in the survey tended to favor three options. There’s the startup visa, a temporary conditional residence permit meant to attract entrepreneurs to move to the U.S. to start and build their companies. Others agree that a place-based visa, which helps immigrants settle in cities and regions with struggling economies, or a STEM grad visa, which attracts international graduate students of STEM programs to the U.S. to work in those industries, would help bolster the economy.
Here are the steps you need to go through in order to apply for the H1B visa:
-Make sure you qualify for the H1B visa.
-Find a petitioner by applying for a job opening in the United States.
-Have the petitioning initiated by your employer.
-Apply for the H1B visa at the nearest US Embassy/Consulate in your home country.
Who is eligible for H1B visa?
-H-1B status is available to a person who has been offered a temporary professional position by a U.S. employer. A bachelor’s degree or higher in a related area is the minimum educational level required for a position to qualify for -H-1B status, and the H-1B employee must have this degree (or higher).
How hard is it to get an H1B visa?
-H1B visa requirements can be difficult to meet because you must first be hired by a U.S. employer who is willing to sponsor you. Competition for jobs in the United States is fierce, and demand for visas to enter the US grows daily.
Immigrants are joining the U.S. workforce at much higher levels than normal
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