AeA Releases New Competitiveness Series on the Need for
High-Skilled Visa Reform
Attracting the Best and Brightest is Critical to Maintaining U.S. Competitiveness

Washington, DC (June 13, 2006) – AeA, the nation’s largest trade association with 2,500 member companies representing all segments of the high-tech industry, today released the ninth edition of its ongoing Competitiveness Series. Entitled Attracting the Best and Brightest to the United States, the report analyzes the urgent need to reform high-skilled visa policy to ensure U.S. preeminence in science and innovation.

This new report highlights how critical highly skilled and educated foreign nationals are to the U.S. economy. One of every four scientists and engineers in the United States is foreign born. Half of doctoral computer science and math degrees and 60 percent of doctoral engineering degrees awarded in the United States go to foreign nationals. Yet, U.S. employers find it increasingly difficult to obtain visas and employment-based green cards for these highly skilled individuals, even those graduating from American universities.

“For the past 60 years America has benefited from attracting many of the most talented minds on the planet,” said William T. Archey, President and CEO, AeA. “That period could grind to a halt given restrictive visa policy, tremendous opportunities abroad, and the perception by many foreign nationals that they are not wanted here. This is tragic because these talented people make the United States a more competitive nation. They do not steal American jobs, they create them.”

“In the current debate, all immigration is being lumped together when in fact you have two issues: legal immigration and illegal immigration,” Archey continued. “It is imperative to our competitiveness that those who are highly skilled and educated be able to legally enter the United States. These talented individuals help foster the innovation that creates new companies, new wealth, and new jobs.”

The report recommends specific legislative reforms that would improve the process for obtaining visas and employment-based green cards for those who posses advanced education and skills that are in high demand. These reforms are currently under consideration in bills in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

This report, as well as all installments of the AeA Competitiveness Series, can be downloaded for free at: www.aeanet.org/cs.

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About AeA
AeA, founded in 1943, is a nationwide trade association that represents all segments of the technology industry and is dedicated solely to helping our members’ top line and bottom line. We do this in partnership with our small, medium, and large member companies by lobbying governments at the state, federal, and international levels, providing access to capital and business opportunities, and offering select business services and networking programs. For more information, please visit http://www.aeanet.org.

This page was last updated on 06/13/06.