Time to expand H-1B visas

    No,
many bring skill sets critical to keeping our high-tech economy growing
– many, but not nearly enough to fill the needs of American business.

    This
past week no less an authority on the subject than Microsoft founder
Bill Gates appeared before Congress to plead for more visas for skilled
foreign workers. Currently only 65,000 such workers are allowed in a
year under the so-called H-1B visa program.

    One
legislative proposal would increase the number to 300,000 and Gates
gave every indication those would be used up in a heartbeat. His own
firm has 3,000 available jobs that could be filled by foreign workers,
he said.

    Sure,
it would be wonderful to think they could be filled by qualified U.S.
workers too. But that isn’t going to happen in the near-term without
vast improvements in public education. (Although on that score Gates,
through his foundation, has truly put his money where is mouth is.)

    Too
often U.S. companies take an easier – and cheaper – way out. They
either outsource work to foreign companies or take their own operations
offshore, to places from India to Ireland where they can get the
skilled labor they need.