High-Tech Groups Laud Senate Immigration Bill

The key provision sought by technology companies was an expanded high-tech visa program. The controversial Senate immigration bill includes a provision raising the cap on H-1B visas for highly educated temporary workers to 115,000 per fiscal year. It also provides exemptions from both H-1B and employment-based, or "green card," visa caps for foreign workers with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

"These individuals—many with degrees from U.S. universities—play a critical role in the U.S. economy," John Castellani, president of the Business Roundtable, said in a statement. "It is therefore paramount that we update our immigration policy so that these talented individuals can come here to work for U.S. companies—not foreign competitors."

High-tech companies have complained that the current limits on H-1B visas were reached in August 2005, effectively preventing them from hiring more skilled foreign workers until October 2006.

According to proponents of the Senate measure, the annual H-1B visa cap would be raised by 50,000 a year from the current 65,000 per year. It would also create what is being called a "market-based cap" to allow for future increases in the visa limits. It also would raise the green card cap to 650,000 for fiscal years 2007 through 2016.

"The H-1B and green card reform legislation passed by the Senate [Thursday] would help technology companies in their efforts to hire and retain the talented workers who are essential to remaining competitive," Semiconductor Industry Association President George Scalise said in a statement.

While there is widespread support in the House for expanding the high-tech visa program, that body has approved a much tougher version of the comprehensive immigration bill. Observers said it remains unclear whether a House-Senate conference can resolve political differences over immigration reform.

Also unclear is whether President Bush would sign an immigration bill that doesn not include a guest-worker program.