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Congress lifts cap on high-tech visas
News
good for colleges, research labs
By Mark
Watson
The Commercial
Appeal
A bill loosening restrictions on
immigration of people with "high-tech visas" has passed through
Congress, and it may mean a windfall for the Memphis economy, a
local immigration lawyer said Wednesday.
The bill eliminates the cap on
nonresidents in professional fields for institutions of higher
learning, such as the University of Tennessee Health Science Center
and for nonprofit research institutions, such as St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital.
"It's definitely going to be a boon
for the universities and research institutions," said Rehim
Babaoglu, an attorney in the firm of Thomason Hendrix Harvey Johnson
and Mitchell. "I think it's going to stimulate the
economy."
The bill, which President Clinton is
expected to sign, also would raise the number of people who can be
employed in professional fields in the private sector to 195,000 a
year for 2000 through 2002. The cap had been 115,000 in 2000,
107,500 in 2001 and 65,000 in 2002.
"In my opinion, we still don't have
enough allocations for visas for the demand," Babaoglu said.
"Cities, counties, engineering firms, investment firms, banks,
trading companies - everyone is using technology, and if they're
using a computer, they need, probably, a foreign computer science
major. . . . All the qualified Americans are gainfully employed. The
best and the brightest will be coming to the U.S."
Greg Siskind, an attorney in the
Memphis firm of Siskind Susser Haas & Devine, said a number of
knowledgeable people doubted the bill would pass this year. And
companies had begun considering a move outside the United States if
they could not bring in the qualified workers they need, he
said.
"After months and months of waiting,
it was very sudden," Siskind said. "This bill is a pretty major
piece of legislation."
Cal Allen, who directs the
University of Memphis's international program, said it will be
easier for his office to recruit under the new rules, which would
enable the university to fill faculty positions open because no
qualified applicants could be found. The university employs about 20
people on the visa each year, he said.
Syed Mazher Husain, of India, is
using one of the visas to conduct cancer research at St.
Jude.
"We don't need too many more people
right now," Husain said. "I don't think (the legislation) would have
a major impact on the hiring process here at St. Jude."
To reach reporter Mark Watson,
call 529-5874 or E-mail watson@gomemphis.com
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