While members of Congress continue to argue over the benefits and costs of undertaking a comprehensive reform of immigration laws in the United States, many leaders of industry in America are attempting to mitigate the consequences of their continuing inaction. West Coast technology industry leaders and farmers in Arizona have dealt with a number of setbacks over the last few years and a number of experts are convinced that changes to some aspects of immigration law could result in a new level of productivity and growth for both industries.
The pillar of the economy in Arizona is widely considered to be agriculture. Over $9 billion flows into the state from this industry, which supports an infrastructure built on the effort of workers and fuels thousands of jobs; however, flawed immigration laws have had a negative impact on the ability of the industry to develop a legal, dependable workforce.
Thousands of people have been stung by the current immigration system’s unfair policies, while undocumented immigrants attempting to support their families are living in fear of being deported. An overhaul of the current immigration job laws would, experts say, see job levels skyrocket in Arizona and give a much-needed boost to the state’s sagging economy.
The technology industry is another that would benefit greatly from amendments to current laws. Just 65,000 H1-B US visas are currently offered per annum, with a further 20,000 offered to those who have advanced degrees from American schools. These figures are too low for firms such as Microsoft, which have to consider non-US locations to fill available positions.