Technology Companies Push for Immigration Reform

Because of its heavy reliance on foreign workers, the technology industry recognizes the importance of immigration reform.  Although the industry agrees it should be easier to hire the workers they need, CEOs remain divided on how policymakers should reform the country’s broken immigration system.

Some say that the entire system needs to be reformed, while others in the technology industry hope to address issues surrounding highly skilled workers before endeavoring to reform the rest of the system.  For example, Politico.com quotes Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association as saying, “I think the high-skilled issue can be tackled separate from the comprehensive reform.  The issue of getting the best and the brightest here should not be controversial.”

Technology companies are particularly dependent on H-1B visas and argue that the current cap prevents them from hiring the workers they need.  Current law allocates 65,000 H-1B visas per year.

Read Politico’s report here.