Let's Do This: Help Highly Skilled Immigrants Work in the States

Last month, a bipartisan group of senators introduced Startup Act 2.0, legislation designed to address the needs of new companies, particularly with regard to how startups are able to attract and retain highly skilled immigrants. A group of lawmakers subsequently introduced the bill in the House.

The Washington Post provides a good summary:

Startup Act 2.0 would allow immigrants who obtain graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and math to stay and work in the country; reform made necessary, proponents say, by demand for those degrees that is outpacing the supply of graduates from American universities. The bill would also create a new category of visa for immigrants who start companies and hire workers in the United States.

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Engine Advocacy, a group working to enable people and businesses in the tech community to become involved in shaping policy, has launched a simple and clear website designed to educate people about Startup Act 2.0. The site features a tool that makes it easy for members of the public to get in touch with their Congressional representatives to voice support for the bill. (A related project by Engine Advocacy, Startup Day on the Hill, will bring representatives of 25 startups to Washington next week to meet with members of Congress.)

It's especially important that the government support startups, which are the companies most responsible—by far—for driving job creation and growth in the United States. Startup Act 2.0 would make it easier for entrepreneurs to launch new ventures.

"High tech job growth is expected to outpace growth in other areas for most of this decade while less than half of U.S. students entering STEM fields in college graduate with STEM degrees," says Edward Goodmann, policy analyst at Engine Advocacy. "Congress needs to enact smarter immigration legislation and Engine is encouraging startups to tell Congress about the importance of highly skilled workers to their businesses."

So let's do this: To urge Congress to pass this important and long overdue legislation, visit Engine Advocacy's site, then talk to your representative and help entrepreneurs create new jobs in America.