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My Turn by Maileen Hamto

From The Asian Reporter, V19, #16 (April 21, 2009), page 6.

It’s unfortunate the Obama administration’s economic stimulus package has a "Hire Americans" provision that limits the hiring of guest workers. The Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) makes it harder for U.S. companies receiving government bailout money to hire skilled workers on H-1B visas, which essentially are working permits for the professional class.

Both democrats and republicans supported the provision that requires companies to "do everything they can" to hire Americans before bringing skilled and qualified guest workers to do the job. There is potential for the provision to be extended to all U.S. companies.

At a time when unemployment among Americans is nearing record highs, protectionist measures are deemed the first line of defense against job losses. Why hire foreigners when Americans are losing their jobs?

H-1B visa holders represent a fraction of Americans workers — seven out of every 10,000 workers — according to the National Foundation for American Policy. Company applications for H-1B visas have slowed this year. In April, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration said it received less than half the number of petitions needed to reach the yearly maximum of 65,000 H-1B slots allotted for those holding at least a bachelor’s degree.

The United States is a magnet for skilled and qualified workers eager to make a mark in the world. Microsoft Corp. says one in three patent applications filed by the company last year were the result of work by H-1B and green-card holders.

Getting a work permit is like the proverbial camel going through the eye of the needle. It’s a near impossible feat because there’s much competition for very few available slots. Tons of paperwork and certifications ensure that companies have access to a wide global talent pool of skilled professionals.

A good friend received her work permit from the multinational corporation where she has worked since college. In some parts of the world, an employee’s loyalty to a company still means something. My friend worked her way up the corporate ladder since joining the company. She’s devoted much of her career engrossed with profitability and in the process made a lot of rich people wealthier.

Her reward for years of loyal service? A chance to work for dollars in the United States. As a guest worker on salary, she spends way too many hours at work. Alone in a new country, her job is the only thing she allows to occupy her time. She helps the local economy by paying taxes, buying a car, and renting a condo in one of the most expensive places to live in California.

The economic crisis is causing many to explore every possible way for Americans to protect our own self-interest. At first glance, it may seem logical to grow our own talent and protect American jobs from foreigners. After all, we need to ensure our people have jobs first before doling out visas to nurses, engineers, and IT professionals from other countries.

But here’s the flipside. Large corporations with a multinational reach have access to talent from all over the world. The people they choose to bring to work in the U.S. have proven their mettle, and then some.

To ensure profitability, companies need to maximize worker productivity. That means hiring the brightest and most qualified. The most productive workers are often the hungriest and most grateful for the opportunity to make a living in the United States.

Isn’t that in America’s best self-interest?