Large numbers of highly-educated foreign born U.S. workers plan to return home. This has major implications for our economic future.
“… a growing body of evidence indicates that skilled foreign immigrants create jobs for Americans and boost our national competitiveness. More than 52% of Silicon Valley’s startups during the recent tech boom were started by foreign-born entrepreneurs. Foreign-national researchers have contributed to more than 25% of our global patents, developed some of our break-through technologies, and they helped make Silicon Valley the world’s leading tech center. Foreign-born workers comprise almost a quarter of all the U.S. science and engineering workforce and 47% of science and engineering workers who have PhDs. It is very possible that some of the smart Indians who sat in the room with me holding their hand up on Columbus Day will start the next Google or Apple. Many of them will build companies which employ thousands. But the jobs will be in Hyderbad or Pune, not Silicon Valley.”
Full Article: TechChrunch
We have to find a way to get more students interested in pursuing careers in math and science. If we can do that and expand the size of top-notch schools like OSSM we stand a chance of remaining a leader in innovation and job creation. Its clear that we can no longer depend on a steady stream of foreign born worker to fill our need for scientist and engineers.