Most policymakers are starting to both heed entrepreneurs for their job and wealth creation efforts during these tough times as well as pick up on one of our nation’s biggest source of high-growth start-ups: immigrant entrepreneurs. But if public reaction to a recent NPR segment and recent Washington Post commentary on the topic are anything to go by, I fear we have a long way to go to convince the average American citizen.
However, policymakers can and should reassure Americans anxious about job loss at the hands of high skilled immigrants. Yes, creating “Entrepreneurs Visas” would indeed permit entrepreneurs from other countries entry into the United States. The Kauffman Foundation has spelled out the rationale behind this proposed tool and how it would function. Initially, entrants would be screened for a temporary visa based on either the outside capital they had attracted or revenues from U.S. sales they already had recorded. However, Green cards would only be granted later if the entrepreneur had hired a minimum number of U.S. workers. This type of visa is already embodied in the revised version of the Kerry-Lugar Startup Visa Act, but that particular proposal unfortunately limits the number of startup visas—mostly, I am guessing, to make it palatable to Americans. Why limit these visas when their holders would create numerous jobs right here in the United States without “taking a job” from any other U.S. workers?
To read the full, original article click on this link: A Need for a More Informed Public - Entrepreneurship.org
Author:Jonathan Ortmans
