U.S. Flag and Missouri State Flag Kit Bond, Sixth Generation Missourian
 

BOND LEGISLATION PREVENTS LOSS OF HIGH-TECH GRADUATES TO FOREIGN COMPETITORS

Contact: Rob Ostrander 202.224.7627 Shana Stribling 202.224.0309
Wednesday, April 5, 2006

WASHINGTON – In order to maintain America’s competitive edge in the global economy, Senator Kit Bond today introduced an amendment to immigration legislation working its way through the Senate designed to prevent the loss of U.S.-educated international students with degrees in science and math to foreign companies and countries.

“Success in our digital age economy requires the U.S. to have the best and brightest fueling new products our U.S. workers can manufacture. U.S. workers lose out when their employers can’t get the high-tech innovators and inventors they need to compete with foreign companies in the 21st century economy,” said Bond.

Bond stressed that scientific advancement is vital for the United States to retain its global competitive edge. Despite the nation’s need for students graduating with master’s, PhD or post-Doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM), the number of U.S. citizens pursuing STEM degrees is down while other countries are up. Last year, China graduated over 600,000 new engineers, India 350,000 and the U.S. only 70,000.

U.S. universities are meeting the U.S. economy’s needs with foreign students who are earning 30 percent of the doctorates in engineering and 50 percent in math and computer sciences. Unfortunately, Bond pointed out, outdated visa requirements for international students are costing the United States many of these best and brightest. Visa rules now force many of these highly sought after high-tech graduates out of the country before U.S. firms have a chance to hire them or the graduates have an opportunity to start a business here and hire American workers.

Bond’s legislation strengthens and builds on language currently in the Senate immigration bill that updates U.S. immigration law to meet the needs of the 21st century economy and workers. Changes to visa requirements in the Senate bill would allow PhD STEM graduates of U.S. universities up to one year after graduation to be placed with a U.S. company in their field of study and allows graduates who were placed with a U.S. company to be eligible for permanent residency and give them the time they need to process their application for permanent residency.

Bond’s legislation goes a step further by specifically including master’s and post-PhD students, not just PhDs. Bond said this change would ensure inclusion of valuable engineering and computer science students, who traditionally go only as far as a master’s degree, and research scientists pursuing advanced work in biology and bio-medical engineering through post-doctoral studies programs.

Bond’s language also expands the bill’s scope from covering only STEM students on F-visas to including STEM students on J-visas as well. Bond explained that while most students are on F-visas, many STEM students (up to 25 percent of total international graduate degree STEM students in Missouri universities) pursue post-doctoral studies on J-visas. Changes also include exempting J-visa STEM graduates from the J-visa requirement to return to their home country for 2 years after conclusion of their program. Current statute already provides a waiver of this requirement for medical doctors. Bond said it should be extended to STEM post-PhD students.

Dr. Elson Floyd, President of the University of Missouri System, said, “Removing the barriers that force these highly-educated students to leave our nation will help increase our opportunities for success. This is critical to ensuring that the United States continues to move forward and remains strong and competitive in the global economy.”

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