The House Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement met recently to hash out concerns related to the H-1B program, one of the most controversial of foreign visa topics in the United States. At issue was a stubborn question that politicians, corporations, academics, and lobbyists have been arguing since the creation of the program more than 20 years ago: Is the program helpful or hurtful to American workers?
The program enables US employers to hire highly skilled, specialized foreign workers for three years, with the opportunity to apply for an additional three-year extension. During this period, workers can request green cards and secure permanent residency status if they desire. The current annual cap for the "regular" H1-B category is 65,000 visas. (There is a separate category, capped at 20,000, specifically for beneficiaries who have received advanced degrees in the United States.)
To read the full, original article click on this link: Immigrant Innovators: Job Stealers or Job Creators? — HBS Working Knowledge
