Tech Groups Hail Trump Executive Order Backing Revamp of H-1B Visa Program

H1-B visa program, free of abuse, will drive technological advancements and allow brilliant innovators from around the world to strengthen the growing American economy,” ESA said in a Wednesday statement. ESA encourages the White House and federal agencies “to emphasize these goals as they look at potential reform,” it said. “ESA will strongly advocate for policies that energize and expand growth opportunities for our nation’s world-leading technology sector.” CTA President Gary Shapiro thinks Trump “has rightfully brought attention to the abuses in the H-1B tech worker visa program, demonstrating the need for administrative and legislative reform to this important program,” he said in a Tuesday statement. “Our country needs a new approach to skilled immigration -- one based on merit and not a random lottery, an idea shared by President Trump. Congress must take the lead by passing reforms that keep our system fair, effective and efficient. There is bipartisan support to crack down on abusers who are outsourcing American jobs, but Congress must also advance meaningful reforms that recognize the critical role highly skilled foreign workers play in growing our economy, creating American jobs and maintaining our nation's competitiveness.” H1-B immigrants “turbocharge U.S. innovation and create jobs,” said Dean Garfield, CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council, in a Tuesday statement. “We need to recognize the value H-1B employees contribute through their ingenuity to our innovation ecosystem -- they help innovate and grow America’s tech economy,” said Garfield. He cited estimates that half the 87 startup companies valued at more than $1 billion in the U.S. “were founded by at least one immigrant, many of whom first came to the country on H-1B visas, and each of these companies now employs on average 760 U.S. workers,” he said.