“The NFTC is encouraged that Congress and the Administration are having a serious conversation about immigration reform, and we applaud the bipartisan dialogue underway,” said NFTC President Bill Reinsch. “A critical part of reforming the immigration system is the development of policies that will attract, welcome and retain the best and brightest students, researchers, employees and entrepreneurs that the world has to offer who can help grow the American economy and create jobs.”
“We are encouraged by the proposals meant to attract the best and the brightest contained in the comprehensive reform principles introduced by the ‘Gang of Eight’ Senators yesterday and the basic outlines of the high-skilled reform legislation that Sens. Hatch, Klobuchar and Flake announced today,” said NFTC Vice President for Global Trade Issues Jake Colvin.
For the past three years, NFTC has traveled around the country to meet with business and education leaders to discuss challenges to succeeding in the 21st century global economy. “Everywhere we went, from Research Triangle Park in North Carolina to Detroit, deficiencies in U.S. immigration and visa policies were cited as a drag on U.S. competitiveness and innovation by American university and business leaders,” said Colvin.
This year, the NFTC will partner with major American universities on a series of dialogues analyzing the impact of U.S. visa and immigration policies on America’s competitiveness.
“This is the time for business and academic leaders to engage with Congress and the Administration to ensure that America’s immigration system is attracting the kind of high-skilled workers, students and entrepreneurs that will improve our ability to innovate and compete, rather than pushing them away,” Colvin concluded.
