Tech Giants Still Pushing for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Silicon Valley and the IT industry know all too well the benefits immigration reform would have on American job growth and innovation. Giants in the Tech Industry such as Microsoft and Facebook consistently make the point that there aren’t enough skilled American engineers to fuel their companies’ needs, and they frequently voice their frustrations with the shortage of temporary visas and green cards. While the Republican led House of Representatives has so far refused to entertain a comprehensive immigration solution, the IT industry is not giving up easily, and continues to urge Congress to pass immigration reform this year. For example, Mark Zuckerberg has recently spent time in D.C. lobbying for immigration reform.

The shortage of immigration visas for IT professionals is what fuels the tech industry’s motivation to urge Congress to pass an immigration reform bill now, and it is nothing new. Shortages of temporary worker visas is also what led Bill gates to open an office in Vancouver, Canada back in 2008. When Microsoft opened in Vancouver, Bill Gates noted that the Canadian Government welcomed the IT engineers in high-paying jobs, as well as the numerous jobs created around each of those engineers. The state of the American tech industry demonstrates how immigration reform would create jobs for Americans and enable the United States to continue its position as a world leader in innovation. Let’s hope that members of our Congress can put aside their differences and pass an immigration bill this year.