High-tech innovation in short supply
To make up for a shortage of mathmaticians and computer scientists in the U.S., many companies turn to outsourcing. But Dan Grech reports the congressional limit on work visas might also be pushing out innovation.
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Scott Jagow: For the most part, the immigration debate has focused on low-skilled, illegal immigrants. But a study out today looks at a different group: skilled labor in the high-tech fields. From our America’s Desk at WLRN, Dan Grech reports.
Dan Grech: There’s a shortage of mathematicians and computer scientists in the United States.
In the past, U.S. companies filled the gap with skilled foreigners. But companies say visa quotas for high-skilled workers are too low to meet demand, and Congress hasn’t raised the cap. A new study concludes companies are getting around this by outsourcing operations.
Stuart Anderson directs the National Foundation for American Policy, author of the study:
Stuart Anderson: The current restrictions on highly-educated immigrants is leading more jobs and innovation to be moved outside the United States, when you have many highly-motivated people that would be happy to come here, study, and then work and create jobs and innovation inside the United States.
The study also finds the tech-worker shortage has led to big raises in recent years. Computer scientists now earn on average $96,000 a year.
I’m Dan Grech for Marketplace.