Labrador Sponsors Bipartisan Visa Reform for High-Skilled Workers
Press Release
Rep. Raúl Labrador, R-Idaho, is one of two original cosponsors of a bill to repair an important aspect of our broken immigration system.
The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act would eliminate per-country caps for employment-based visas. The bill is supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and high-tech trade groups including the Information Technology Industry Council and Compete America.
Current law requires that nationals from a single country cannot annually comprise more than 7 percent of the total number of employment-based immigrant visas. As a result of the cap, workers from the world's largest countries receive the same number of visas as those from smaller countries.
"Free markets in labor are just as important to a thriving economy as any other aspect of a competitive marketplace," Labrador said. "Our focus should be on attracting the best and brightest to help grow the U.S. economy, not setting arbitrary caps that turn away workers and hamstring American businesses in today's global economy."
Authored by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, H.R. 213 has two original cosponsors, Labrador and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif. As H.R. 3012, the bill passed the House 389-15 in the 112th Congress but didn't receive a vote in the 113th Congress.
Unlike other visa categories, almost all employment-based green card applicants already live and work in the U.S. on temporary visas, paying taxes and contributing to the economy. Many are educated at U.S. universities.
The quota system leaves them in legal and professional limbo for years awaiting permanent residency. As a result, these workers leave the U.S. for jobs in other nations where they end up taking the education and experience acquired here to compete against us.
The bill creates a first come, first served system. It does not displace U.S. workers with less expensive foreign labor. Federal law prohibits employers from hiring foreign workers to fill these jobs unless there are insufficient U.S. workers who are able, willing, qualified and available.
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