As it always has, the pull of an open, vibrant economy and the chance to chase a dream is drawing the best, the brightest, and the hardest workers from across the globe to America’s shores. Generations of enterprising and ambitious people have sought to build better lives in the United States—and by doing so, they have helped build and sustain one of the most robust and resilient economies the world has ever known. We need the innovation, the ideas, and the hard work of immigrants as much today as at any time in our history—and maybe even more.
By one key indicator, the opportunity to strengthen the U.S. workforce by welcoming the world’s talent has never been greater. According to the 2013 annual survey by the Institute of International Education, enrollment of international students in U.S. colleges and universities reached an all-time high of 819,644 in 2013—up 7 percent from 2012.
These students could help bridge a growing skills gap—particularly in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields that are vital to a modern, competitive economy. Broadly speaking, foreign-born students are pursuing STEM degrees at a greater rate than U.S. born students. More than half of the master’s and PhD students studying the natural sciences and engineering disciplines at U.S. colleges and universities are international. Meanwhile, the number of American students studying STEM disciplines is growing at less than one percent per year. By 2018, there will be 230,000 unfilled positions requiring advanced STEM degrees, even if every U.S. STEM grad finds a job.
Moreover, the fastest growing industries require advanced skills and higher education beyond a bachelor’s degree. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 22 percent of new job openings through 2020 will require at least a master’s degree. Immigrants already represent one in four doctors, two in five medical scientists, and one in three computer software engineers. Among all 25-34 year-olds living in the United States, 10.6 percent of those with master’s, professional, or doctoral degrees are foreign-born, compared to 8.5 percent of native-born young people.
Higher education and job opportunities in high-tech and growing industries aren’t the only reason immigrants are attracted to the United States. Many others are drawn to our entrepreneurial culture and view America as the best place to put their dreams to work. They want to create their own jobs—and opportunities for others. Some 18 percent of all Fortune 500 companies in the United States were started by immigrant entrepreneurs. Immigrants are behind such tech and business giants as Google, Yahoo, Big Lots, and BJ’s Wholesale Club. Combined, those enterprises pump $1.7 trillion in annual revenue into our economy and employ 3.7 million workers around the world. Immigrant entrepreneurs also galvanize neighborhood revitalization, startup small and medium enterprises, and account for a significant share of business ownership.
In order to fully continue to leverage the skills, education, and entrepreneurship of those who have or want to come from around the world to study, work, or innovate in America, we must fix our broken immigration system. Under the current structure, those vital contributions to our workforce and our economy are at risk.
Without reform, we will continue to educate the world’s best and brightest—and then send them home to their native countries to compete against us. We should move to a system where every STEM degree earned by an international student at a U.S. institution automatically comes with a green card.
If we do not fix our immigration system, we will send the most inventive and entrepreneurial citizens of the world the message that their ideas and efforts are not welcome in the United States. We will lose that talent to competitors like Canada or the United Kingdom, who will receive their economic and innovative contributions with open arms. We need high-skilled visa reform so that top talent will be able to live and work in the United States.
High-skilled visa reform must come along with other common sense fixes to our immigration system, including a lesser-skilled work visa program, improved employment verification, greater border security, and a pathway out of the shadows for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in our country. Together, these reforms will help protect America’s legacy of being an open and inclusive society and will ensure that immigrants continue to enrich our culture and strengthen our economy.
There are some who subscribe to the misconception that welcoming immigrants into our workforce takes away opportunities from American workers. It is flat out wrong—and the reverse is actually true. In a global economy, investment follows talent. If we are drawing top talent into our economy, investment dollars will follow. And an infusion of capital and economic development will be a tide that lifts all boats, creating jobs, opportunity, and economic growth for all who live in America.
We have a tremendous opportunity to help close the skills gap, strengthen our economy, and remain at the top of the global competition. But any great opportunity can be squandered. The talent, entrepreneurship, and innovative contributions of the world’s best and brightest will slip through our fingers unless we adopt a smart immigration policy. And soon.
David Chavern is the Chief Operations Officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
This article was originally published in the Diplomatic Courier's January/February 2014 print edition.
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The Talent and Innovations of Immigrants Are Good for America
January 11, 2014
As it always has, the pull of an open, vibrant economy and the chance to chase a dream is drawing the best, the brightest, and the hardest workers from across the globe to America’s shores. Generations of enterprising and ambitious people have sought to build better lives in the United States—and by doing so, they have helped build and sustain one of the most robust and resilient economies the world has ever known. We need the innovation, the ideas, and the hard work of immigrants as much today as at any time in our history—and maybe even more.
By one key indicator, the opportunity to strengthen the U.S. workforce by welcoming the world’s talent has never been greater. According to the 2013 annual survey by the Institute of International Education, enrollment of international students in U.S. colleges and universities reached an all-time high of 819,644 in 2013—up 7 percent from 2012.
These students could help bridge a growing skills gap—particularly in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields that are vital to a modern, competitive economy. Broadly speaking, foreign-born students are pursuing STEM degrees at a greater rate than U.S. born students. More than half of the master’s and PhD students studying the natural sciences and engineering disciplines at U.S. colleges and universities are international. Meanwhile, the number of American students studying STEM disciplines is growing at less than one percent per year. By 2018, there will be 230,000 unfilled positions requiring advanced STEM degrees, even if every U.S. STEM grad finds a job.
Moreover, the fastest growing industries require advanced skills and higher education beyond a bachelor’s degree. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 22 percent of new job openings through 2020 will require at least a master’s degree. Immigrants already represent one in four doctors, two in five medical scientists, and one in three computer software engineers. Among all 25-34 year-olds living in the United States, 10.6 percent of those with master’s, professional, or doctoral degrees are foreign-born, compared to 8.5 percent of native-born young people.
Higher education and job opportunities in high-tech and growing industries aren’t the only reason immigrants are attracted to the United States. Many others are drawn to our entrepreneurial culture and view America as the best place to put their dreams to work. They want to create their own jobs—and opportunities for others. Some 18 percent of all Fortune 500 companies in the United States were started by immigrant entrepreneurs. Immigrants are behind such tech and business giants as Google, Yahoo, Big Lots, and BJ’s Wholesale Club. Combined, those enterprises pump $1.7 trillion in annual revenue into our economy and employ 3.7 million workers around the world. Immigrant entrepreneurs also galvanize neighborhood revitalization, startup small and medium enterprises, and account for a significant share of business ownership.
In order to fully continue to leverage the skills, education, and entrepreneurship of those who have or want to come from around the world to study, work, or innovate in America, we must fix our broken immigration system. Under the current structure, those vital contributions to our workforce and our economy are at risk.
Without reform, we will continue to educate the world’s best and brightest—and then send them home to their native countries to compete against us. We should move to a system where every STEM degree earned by an international student at a U.S. institution automatically comes with a green card.
If we do not fix our immigration system, we will send the most inventive and entrepreneurial citizens of the world the message that their ideas and efforts are not welcome in the United States. We will lose that talent to competitors like Canada or the United Kingdom, who will receive their economic and innovative contributions with open arms. We need high-skilled visa reform so that top talent will be able to live and work in the United States.
High-skilled visa reform must come along with other common sense fixes to our immigration system, including a lesser-skilled work visa program, improved employment verification, greater border security, and a pathway out of the shadows for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in our country. Together, these reforms will help protect America’s legacy of being an open and inclusive society and will ensure that immigrants continue to enrich our culture and strengthen our economy.
There are some who subscribe to the misconception that welcoming immigrants into our workforce takes away opportunities from American workers. It is flat out wrong—and the reverse is actually true. In a global economy, investment follows talent. If we are drawing top talent into our economy, investment dollars will follow. And an infusion of capital and economic development will be a tide that lifts all boats, creating jobs, opportunity, and economic growth for all who live in America.
We have a tremendous opportunity to help close the skills gap, strengthen our economy, and remain at the top of the global competition. But any great opportunity can be squandered. The talent, entrepreneurship, and innovative contributions of the world’s best and brightest will slip through our fingers unless we adopt a smart immigration policy. And soon.
David Chavern is the Chief Operations Officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
This article was originally published in the Diplomatic Courier's January/February 2014 print edition.
