ON IMMIGRATION LOTTERIES AND THE REAL LOSERS

OUT OF LUCK

Barron's this weekend has an editorial titled "End the Work Visa Lottery", that had me nodding in agreement more than most things I've read about our country's immigration policies in recent memory.  In particular, the following bit:

"It's repulsive that America, the land of opportunity, is telling more than 85,000 well-qualified, potentially productive workers to stay home rather than welcoming them to enrich the U.S. economy.

Further, it's ridiculous that many foreign students at U.S. universities have been locked out of the visa process for the year because they weren't eligible to apply before graduation.

And it's pathetic that the federal government trusts to luck to award visas."

Too much of our immigration discussion is centered around the highly polarized debate around illegal immigration across our southern border.

In a globalizing world, where our long-term sovereign competitors over the next couple of generations are China and India with over two billion eager workers, we're utterly missing the forest for the trees when it comes to thinking about immigration.

As I've said in a post last October  titled "On Re-Thinking Immigration",

"To cut to the chase, the nations that have the biggest pools of productive, middle-class people that share common aspirations of a better life for themselves and their children, AND a commitment to Globalization, win. 

And unless something goes seriously awry, there will be a lot more countries that share this formula in a few years than today."

The Barron's editorial says this in a more time-sensitive way:

"U.S. immigration policies as they are now reveal a government that refuses to admit as many foreign workers as this economy needs.

We shouldn't close the porous borders until we have a system that lets people come here to work."

Despite the controversies and passions on both sides of this issue in the current political environment, this is an issue where too much is at stake for our long-term good to ignore.  Recommended.

P.S.  Regular readers know this is an issue that I've been fairly vocal on in the past.  Those interested may look at these additional posts on the subject here and here.

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[Andy Swan]

Give us your huddled masses of talented, passionate and motivated people!!