H-1B Visas

Working in R&D at Dow, a large fraction of my friends and colleagues were born outside the U.S. I enjoy working in such a place. The diversity of backgrounds and points of view is a good thing to experience. From an article in The Washington Post:

President George W. Bush Thursday called on Congress to raise the cap on the so-called H-1B visas that allow companies to fill high tech jobs with foreign workers. "The problem is, is that Congress has limited the number of H-1B visas," Bush said in a speech. "I think it's a mistake not to encourage more really bright folks who can fill the jobs that are having trouble being filled in America, to limit their number. So I call upon Congress to be realistic and reasonable to raise that cap," he said. High-tech businesses have pushed Congress to increase the number of such visas, currently capped at 65,000 per year. Workers are allowed to stay in the United States for six years. Some labor groups have opposed an expansion of the program, saying it takes away jobs from Americans.