Increased US visas for foreign tech grads-Senator

United States, 19th May: The US must increase US H-1B visas for foreigners with doctoral or master’s US degree.

This is a latest proposal by John Cornyn, a US Republican Senator for reforming US visa rules.

Additional 55,000 US visas for foreign tech US graduates--Entrusted with overseeing US immigration policies, Cornyn, a Senior Republican US Senator said he has a proposal that aims to increase annual quota for US H-1B visas by 55,000 for foreign technical graduates having US degrees.

By axing US Green Card Visa program--Giving details about his proposed US visa legislation, Cornyn said the bill, if approved, will not make additions to the total number of US visas available annually.

Rather, it hopes to end the US Green Card Lottery Program and allocate 55,000 US diversity visas under the US Green Card Lottery scheme to the US H-1B visa scheme. US Green Card Lottery program has a reserve quota of 55,000 US visas for foreigners under a lottery scheme.

This is meant for allowing immigrants to come to the US from underrepresented nations.

And this quota will be ended to be replaced by reserving 55,000 US visas for foreign students successfully graduating from STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs at any of US university.

STAR Act to create 55,000 US Green Cards--Senator Cornyn said there is a tough global competition for attracting the brightest talented individuals especially in engineering, math and science and the US should not lag behind.

Aptly named STAR (Security Talent America Requires for the 21st Century) Act, the bill will create 55,000 US Green Cards for international students pursuing US STEM programs at US universities and earning PhDs and master’s degree. This will lead to streamlining ability of US STEM graduates to get US Green Cards.

Help in creation of new US jobs--Such a step would help in bringing best global talent with highly technological skills to the US. It will give the US a much needed winning edge for creation of new jobs and long-term economic development, asserted Cornyn.

Under current US H-1B visa rules, foreign technical graduates coming on US H-1B visas can work in the US for a maximum period of six years.

However, the sad thing is that the US looses majority of such talented foreign tech graduates since US visa norms do not allow them to stay beyond six years.

The US immigration does not have any direct route for enabling a US H-1B visa holder to gain an employment-based US Green Card. And this is exactly what the US Senator wants to have.