It might seem that the recent souring of the U.S. economy and rise in unemployment has rendered moot the debate over whether or not the United States really "needs" the highly skilled foreign workers who come here on H-1B temporary visas. But the demand for H-1B workers still far outstrips the current cap of only 65,000 new H-1B visas that can be issued each year. In fact, this quota has been filled within one day in each of the last five fiscal years. As studies from the Harvard Business School, National Foundation for American Policy, Peterson Institute of International Economics, and National Science Board make clear, the presence in a company of highly skilled foreign workers whose abilities and talents complement those of native-born workers actually creates new employment opportunities for American workers. Moreover, the arbitrary numerical limits currently placed on H-1Bs are not only incapable of responding to the changing demand for H-1B workers, but the international competitiveness of the U.S. economy will continue to depend heavily on the contributions of H-1B professionals and other of high-skilled workers from abroad for many decades to come.
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