The U.S. immigration system needs fundamental reform to counter worsening demographic trends and to refocus immigration criteria to prioritize high-skilled workers. The legislation would establish new innovation initiatives and set funding targets that, if met, would add billions of dollars to the current annual budgets of selected research . When we welcome foreigners to our soileither because of the persecution they are fleeing or the skills they bring with themwe preserve our competitive edge and ensure that the best ideas and talent can prosper within our borders. Their degree must be granted to them by a qualified U.S. research institution or a foreign equivalent. The America COMPETES Act of 2022 is a sprawling mess of spending and nonsense. It would welcome removing from the bill measures to attract STEM talent to America. Fiona Harrigan | 1.27.2022 5:05 PM. Many of its provisions have little to do with preserving American prosperity. While the legislation's main purpose is to generate investment in American innovation, it includes a number of troubling immigration provisions that would add thousands of new green cards each year on top of already historically high levels. the U.S. has over China. The term critical infrastructure under 42 U.S.C. The bill would provide 18 months of "temporary protected status and refugee status for qualifying Hong Kong residents." The National Immigration Forum would like to thank Lowis Sanchez, policy intern, for his extensive contributions to this analysis. The 107-member Conference Committee began reconciling the Senate's USICA and the House's America COMPETES Act on May 12, 2022. Although international students in Canada can gain permanent residence within one or two years, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) estimates it could take up to 195 years for Indian immigrants to get a green card in America in the employment-based second preference (EB-2). Then, the company must have created at least 10 qualified jobs. Despite what employers see as a fierce global battle for talent, enacting policies to attract highly educated foreign-born scientists and engineers to America has proven difficult. Uyghurs there are. Indian student enrollment at Canadian colleges and universities increased nearly 300% between the 2015-16 and 2019-20 academic years.. To that end, the proposed immigration updates create a new nonimmigrant visa category. About Us In this episode of the AAF. Start-Up Companies The bill would create new, nonimmigrant visa categories for non-U.S. citizens who are the owners or essential employees of start-up companies. The United States has unveiled the ambitious America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength (COMPETES) Act, 2022, which proposes to open up new vistas for talented individuals from across the world with a new start-up visa. Nevertheless, The America COMPETES Act reforms are changes at the margins of the existing system confined to high-skilled individuals and entrepreneurs. A pessimist would take the opposite position: If its a good provision on immigration, it likely wont become law. Specifically, the company must receive $1.25 million in qualifying investments or qualifying government grants or awards or generated at least $1 million in annual revenue in the prior two years. Supporters of the provisions will argue that no bill promoting innovation can justify not including improved ways to attract and retain foreign-born talent. Thus far, the 117th Congress has not undertaken immigration reform in regular order. They are based on bills and ideas that have gained significant backing from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The company would be deemed sufficiently successful if it received at least $1.25 million in qualifying investments and/or qualifying government grants or awardsor generated at least $1 million in annual revenue during the preceding two years. Improving skill levels results in higher productivity growth, which translates into higher worker compensation and standards of living. The 107-member Conference Committee began reconciling the Senate's USICA and the House's America COMPETES Act on May 12, 2022. Chinese leaders understand the extent to which the United States benefits from international talent inflows, writes Remco Zwetsloot in a report for the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Todd C. Young (R-Ind. This exemption would benefit applicants who might not yet qualify for the first-preference EB-1 visa but who are still engaging in valuable research that contributes to Americas status as a global leader in science. The U.S. House of Representatives has introduced the ambitious 2022 Act to create opportunities for America's manufacturing, preeminence in technology, and economic strength, or America COMPETES Act of 2022. The W visa category would be composed of three classifications of foreign nationals: W-1, entrepreneurs with ownership interest in a start-up; W-2, essential employees of a start-up; and W-3, W-1 and W-2 holders spouses and children. Many immigration analysts are skeptical of the CBO estimate due to the significant benefits highly educated scientists and engineers bring to the U.S. economy. Delay cases, however, require discovery. However, a law is more difficult than guidance for a new administration to change. The agency defends almost all delay cases by defending the system, rather than the particular delay. The America COMPETES Act is intended to drive competition in the manufacture of semiconductors between the U.S. and China. Another section, the Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act, would grant priority refugee admission status to current and former residents of China's Xinjiang province. (Photo by ANDER GILLENEA/AFP via Getty Images). Athletes, CEOs, And Movie Stars Are Getting Older: Why Your Best Days Are Ahead Of You: The Changemaker Interview: Michael Nyenhuis, CEO, UNICEF USA, Leading Lenovos Move Toward Solutions And Services, Retain Loyal Customers With Captivating Mobile Shopping Experiences. Careers For the W-1 owner visa, a minimum of 10% ownership is required, the individual must substantially assist the company, and have the required experience and skills appropriate for the role. spent at least $25 million on research and development as determined by the National Science Foundation, or (2.) USICA did not include the immigration provisions included in the House effort. Vote Smart provides free, unbiased, in-depth information about current officials, candidates, issues, legislation, and voting. New York, NY 10022, 2023 International Legal and Business Services Group. 2014-2018 National Immigration Forum. Analysts who have studied China and its technology plans understand that the countrys leadership fears a more open U.S. immigration system able to attract high-level science and engineering talent. The following is a statement from Association of American Universities President Barbara R. Snyder about the House introduction of the America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength (COMPETES) Act of 2022: America's leading research universities welcome the House's introduction of H.R . Non-partisan and nonprofit since 1988. is a historically black college or university, or minority-serving institution, that is also a doctorate-granting university with a very high level or high level of research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. 706(1) that USCIS has unreasonably delayed final action on their adjustment of status petitions. On February 4, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the America COMPETES Act 222 to 210, but it garnered only one Republican vote. The letter expresses appreciation for Congress' recent work on innovation legislationthe United States Innovation and Competition Act and the America COMPETES Act of 2022 and calls for the inclusion of Section 80303 from H.R. Due to the CRAs, Executive Summary If retained during negotiations with the Senate, the measures in the bill could become the most significant on legal immigration to pass Congress in more than 30 years. Obviously, if theyve got an advanced degree in a STEM program, that would meet some needs we have. Other Republicans voiced receptiveness to the immigration proposals. USD 45 billion for loans and grants for the improvement of the supply chain. USD 52 billion to boost semiconductor production. In addition, the company must have created at least 10 qualified jobs.. All rights reserved, America COMPETES Act Passed by House, Includes Proposed Immigration Benefits, INA 204(l): A Safety Net For H-4, And Other Categories, When The Principal Beneficiary Dies, Criteria for H-1B Specialty Occupations Clarified, Recent Federal Court Decision Upholds Limited Judicial Review for Immigration Cases. The over 2,900-page bill is the counterpart to a similar bill passed by the Senate in June 2021, the U.S. Second, it is unclear if there are Senate Republicans who will oppose the House-passed immigration provisions, but given Rep. McCarthys statements, that is a possibility. Back in 2018, the Cato Institute's David J. Bier. The current wait time for a green card for many STEM PhDs with job offers in the U.S. can stretch to, The bill includes the text of the Let Immigrants Kickstart Employment (LIKE) Act (, The new W visa would formalize the already existing, The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), The provisions (which represent a combination of the bipartisan. Subscribe to Reason Roundup, a wrap up of the last 24 hours of news, delivered fresh each morning. 4521), contains the first immigration reforms to be considered in regular order by this Congress. Amendments to a recently passed House bill will expand immigration opportunities for foreign-born scientists and engineers. On February 4, 2022, the House of Representatives passed the American Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength Act (known as the America. A minimum of 10 jobs must also have been created. The America COMPETES Act also helps build our domestic STEM workforce and encourages start-up companies to establish roots here, Rep. Lofgren said in a statement. "It's crazy. She earned her Ph.D. in Hungary but spent years in America on an uncertain career path, first as a postdoctoral researcher, before her work became recognized as groundbreaking. The bill would create a new requirement that non-citizens seeking to be classified as W-1 nonimmigrants, immigrant entrepreneurs, or immigrant STEM doctoral recipients pay a supplemental fee of $1,000 which would fund STEM scholarships for low-income U.S. students. The bill authorizes increased funding for the National Science Foundation and . Douglas Holtz-Eakin is the President of the American Action Forum. Exemption for STEM PhDs from Green Card Backlog, For more information, see: High Skilled Immigration: Americas Key for Competitiveness and National Security, For more information, see: Bill Analysis: Let Immigrants Kickstart Employment Act, For more information, see: Bill Summary: The Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act, For more information, see: Bipartisan bill to Expedite Uyghur Refugee Process Introduced, Adjustment of Status for Certain Adoptees, For more information, see: Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2019: Bill Summary. House Democrats recently released The America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology and Economic Strength (COMPETES) Act of 2022, their plan to increase the United States economic competitiveness with China. If theres broad support for the provisions, then Im absolutely open to including it, said Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), who sponsored the Senate USICA bill. Third, it is unknown whether Senate Democrats will fight to keep the immigration measures. Although the COMPETES Act passed the House in a partisan vote of 222 to 210, the immigration provisions could potentially garner support from some Senate Republicans. The only immigration reforms attempted were those included in the Build Back Better Act to be considered under reconciliation protections. Democratic politicians are marketing the COMPETES Act as a way to outcompete and rebuke China. In 1954 the Atomic Energy Act established an award to recognize scientific achievements in atomic energy. Several Democrats support the bills provisions to increase visa availability, but Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) insisted a separate immigration policy legislation consider such provisions. When we welcome foreigners to our soileither because of the persecution they are fleeing or the skills they bring with themwe preserve our competitive edge and ensure that the best ideas and talent can prosper within our borders. If legislation subject to PAYGO increases the deficit through an increase in federal spending or a reduction in revenues, that increase must be offset by increased revenue or reduced spending in other areas.. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021. Amendments to a recently passed bill will expand immigration opportunities for foreign-born scientists and engineers. Manning Amendment Expands Eligibility For STEM Green Card Exemption: An amendment sponsored by Rep. Kathy Manning (D-NC) expanded the exemption from the annual numerical limit for green cards for Ph.D.s in STEM fields to include individuals with a masters degree in the case of an alien who works in a critical industry., What is a critical industry? There would be three types of visas. In a summary of Win the global talent competition, the report states: The United States risks losing the global competition for scarce AI expertise if it does not cultivate more potential talent at home and recruit and retain more existing talent from abroad.. In addition, the bill would provide special immigrant status for certain highly skilled Hong Kong residents, for a maximum of 5,000 per year. The America COMPETES Act of 2022 (H.R. The FTC did allow for one narrow exception to the proposed rule. It is now up to the Senate to continue the work of bringing our outdated immigration system into the 21st century. In June 2021, the Senate passed a similar bill that focused on support for producing more semiconductors in the United States and grants for research and manufacturing in different parts of the country. Because the number of available green card visas changes each fiscal year, on October 1, 2022the first day of FY 2023unused, employment-based FY 2022 green card visas will be reallocated and. The bill also provides 25,000 special interest visas for "highly-skilled" Hong Kong residents. Provisions of America COMPETES Act 2022. The House on Friday voted 222-210 to approve the America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength ( COMPETES) Act of 2022, with one Republican crossing party lines to vote for it and one Democrat voting against it. 3.1.2023 5:35 PM, Joe Lancaster But if the company meets certain growth benchmarks, that could be extended for another three years and, again, for two more 1-year periods. Certain qualifications are required. The American Action Forum is a 21st century center-right policy institute providing actionable research and analysis to solve Americas most pressing policy challenges. 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