Post by twk on Mar 24, 2011 18:05:49 GMT -6
blogs.sciencemag.org/sciencecareers/2011/03/an-internal-bra.html
The United States is suffering from a serious scientific and
technological workforce problem that harms innovation, according
to Norman Matloff of the University of California-Davis computer
science department. But it is not the supposed shortage of American
scientists and engineers widely bemoaned by politicians and industry
representatives.
Rather, because of "an internal brain drain" of able Americans out of
scientific and technical fields, "we are wasting our talent," he told he
told an audience of legal and immigration experts, IT workers, and
scientists at a March 18 policy briefing held at the Georgetown
University Law School. This loss of talent largely results from the
nation's policy of admitting large number of scientists, IT workers,
and computer engineers, he said.
Entitled "Are they they best and brightest? Analysis of
employer-sponsored tech immigrants," the talk was arranged by the
Institute for the Study of International Migration of Georgetown's
school of foreign service. Matloff's answer to that question is a
resounding No. Despite widely publicized claims that foreign tech
workers and scientists represent exceptional ability and are thus
vital to American innovation, Matloff called that argument merely "a
good sound byte for lobbyists" supporting industry proposals for
higher visa caps. The data, on the other hand, indicate that those
admitted are no more able, productive, or innovative than America's
homegrown talent, he said.
In fact, Matloff went on, the nation is "wasting the innovation" that
Americans could create because they are being driven from technical
and scientific fields by the influx of foreigners. "There are a lot
of good people who are displaced," he said. In the tech field, this
does not occur because of talent, education, productivity or ability
but with age, and ultimately with pay, he stated. Employers prefer to
bring in young foreign workers who are cheaper in preference to
employing experienced Americans who are more expensive. In a
number of tech companies, a majority of workers are foreign-born
while many Americans being displaced "are of good quality." Over
20 years ago, he noted, experts predicted that encouraging
immigration would discourage citizens from entering these fields.
...
The United States is suffering from a serious scientific and
technological workforce problem that harms innovation, according
to Norman Matloff of the University of California-Davis computer
science department. But it is not the supposed shortage of American
scientists and engineers widely bemoaned by politicians and industry
representatives.
Rather, because of "an internal brain drain" of able Americans out of
scientific and technical fields, "we are wasting our talent," he told he
told an audience of legal and immigration experts, IT workers, and
scientists at a March 18 policy briefing held at the Georgetown
University Law School. This loss of talent largely results from the
nation's policy of admitting large number of scientists, IT workers,
and computer engineers, he said.
Entitled "Are they they best and brightest? Analysis of
employer-sponsored tech immigrants," the talk was arranged by the
Institute for the Study of International Migration of Georgetown's
school of foreign service. Matloff's answer to that question is a
resounding No. Despite widely publicized claims that foreign tech
workers and scientists represent exceptional ability and are thus
vital to American innovation, Matloff called that argument merely "a
good sound byte for lobbyists" supporting industry proposals for
higher visa caps. The data, on the other hand, indicate that those
admitted are no more able, productive, or innovative than America's
homegrown talent, he said.
In fact, Matloff went on, the nation is "wasting the innovation" that
Americans could create because they are being driven from technical
and scientific fields by the influx of foreigners. "There are a lot
of good people who are displaced," he said. In the tech field, this
does not occur because of talent, education, productivity or ability
but with age, and ultimately with pay, he stated. Employers prefer to
bring in young foreign workers who are cheaper in preference to
employing experienced Americans who are more expensive. In a
number of tech companies, a majority of workers are foreign-born
while many Americans being displaced "are of good quality." Over
20 years ago, he noted, experts predicted that encouraging
immigration would discourage citizens from entering these fields.
...