WASHINGTON-Bipartisan legislation was introduced last week to increase the number of visas for educated foreigners who can fill some of the many vacancies in the high-tech sector in the United States.
The bill is cosponsored by Reps. David Dreier (R-Calif.), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Tom Davis (R-Va.) and Adam Smith (D-Wash.).
The measure increases the H-1B visa cap to 200,000 for fiscal years 2001, 2002 and 2003. Of those 200,000 visas, 10,000 would be reserved for colleges and universities and 60,000 for individuals who hold a masters or doctoral degree.
William Archey, president of the American Electronics Association, said the legislation “will remove an impediment to the very resource-skilled employees-that has allowed the high-tech industry to keep breaking new ground in innovation, setting the world standard in competitiveness and contributing mightily to America’s prosperity.”
