http://www.nbcnewyork.com/video/#!/on-air/as-seen-on/Visas-for-Highly-Skilled-Workers-and-the-Immigration-Reform-Package/201362261
April 3, 2013
Transcript of Interview:
Reporter: Immigration is making news again this week and one of the big topics, the expected run on visas for Highly Skilled workers here in the US. Those visas are coveted by companies including Microsoft, Apple, and Google. That coincides with Congressional plans to increase the numbers of work permits for tech savvy immigrants. Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand, an immigration attorney and CUNY law professor joins us now to talk about that and sweeping legislation in the works to overhaul the nation’s agricultural worker program. So Myriam thank you so much for coming to discuss this complicated topic
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Thank you for having me.
Reporter: So tell me about this legislation that is being worked on as soon as Congress reconvenes. What is expected to be included?
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Well, there is this gang of 8 and there is this bipartisan framework for comprehensive immigration reform and there are a lot of topics that are going to be covered. Border protection is one of them but they are also looking to increase the number of visas for highly skilled workers and actually part of the frame work actually talks about giving green cards to highly skilled worker. To individuals that have either a Master’s or a Ph D degree from an American University in one of 4 categories, Sciences, engineering, technology, or mathematics. There are also provisions to create a legal path for citizenship for more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in this country and I think that would be fantastic.
Reporter: We were talking a little bit during the break before this segment about how few visas are granted to the skilled workers and that it is already expected that there will not be enough. They will run out. There is something like 85,000.
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Absolutely, there are currently 65,000 visas that are allotted to foreign workers, with an additional 20,000 that are allotted to high skilled foreign workers with US Masters Degrees, for professional visas. The first day you could apply was April 1st. Already the US immigration Service estimated that they are likely to run out of these work visas by the end of this week and they estimated that they might have to create a lottery. We haven’t seen that since 2008. Again this is for positions you need to have a bachelor’s degree for. These are highly skilled workers. These are people that are really contributing to our economy and to innovation in this country.
Reporter: Do you think this legislation will really make a significant difference? Offer enough more visas for people who want to come to this country?
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: I certainly hope so. That is really important. These are people that are coming here, they are studying in our universities. They are studying here. We are training them and then there aren’t enough visas to keep them here. They are going back to their country or to our competitors.
Reporter: And there is a question of unskilled workers and the farm workers two separate categories. There is a debate about how long they should be able to stay, what they should be able to be paid. What are the different sides of that argument in terms of wages?
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Absolutely, just on Friday the AFL-CIO and the American Chamber of Commence, which are the biggest labor federation and the biggest business organization, came together and actually sat down and were able to come up with a draft. It is called a W visa, temporary visa that would be for lower skilled workers, people in the retail, construction, janitorial services, hospitality industry and basically they came together and were able to come to an agreement starting April 2015. They propose that there would be a certain amount of visas 20,000 the first year, then 35,000, 55,000, 75,000 and after 5 years based on the US economy and the need for these types of workers, they would re-evaluate the amount of visas that would be needed but certainly there will be provision that will be set forth for the protection of American workers.
Reporter: That Americans don’t want to fill.
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Right, we don’t have workers able or willing to do that type of work.
Reporter: Just quickly, visas and it might depend on the category, does it really mean a gateway to citizenship?
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Absolutely not, I think that is a big myth. As far as “the earned path to citizenship” we are hearing about, it is going to be tough. People are going to have to pay fines they are going to have to pay back taxes, they have to pay penalties. They are going have to go through scrupulous national and criminal background checks. They are going to have to pass English and Civics test. It is not an easy ride.
Reporter: It is not a free ticket.
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Absolutely, it is not an easy ride.
Reporter: All right, Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand thank you so much for shedding some light again on this complicated subject.
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Thank you so much for having me.
Reporter: Thank you for being here tonight.
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand on NBC News Discussing Visas for Highly Skilled Workers and the Immigration Reform Package
April 3, 2013
Transcript of Interview:
Reporter: Immigration is making news again this week and one of the big topics, the expected run on visas for Highly Skilled workers here in the US. Those visas are coveted by companies including Microsoft, Apple, and Google. That coincides with Congressional plans to increase the numbers of work permits for tech savvy immigrants. Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand, an immigration attorney and CUNY law professor joins us now to talk about that and sweeping legislation in the works to overhaul the nation’s agricultural worker program. So Myriam thank you so much for coming to discuss this complicated topic
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Thank you for having me.
Reporter: So tell me about this legislation that is being worked on as soon as Congress reconvenes. What is expected to be included?
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Well, there is this gang of 8 and there is this bipartisan framework for comprehensive immigration reform and there are a lot of topics that are going to be covered. Border protection is one of them but they are also looking to increase the number of visas for highly skilled workers and actually part of the frame work actually talks about giving green cards to highly skilled worker. To individuals that have either a Master’s or a Ph D degree from an American University in one of 4 categories, Sciences, engineering, technology, or mathematics. There are also provisions to create a legal path for citizenship for more than 11 million undocumented immigrants in this country and I think that would be fantastic.
Reporter: We were talking a little bit during the break before this segment about how few visas are granted to the skilled workers and that it is already expected that there will not be enough. They will run out. There is something like 85,000.
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Absolutely, there are currently 65,000 visas that are allotted to foreign workers, with an additional 20,000 that are allotted to high skilled foreign workers with US Masters Degrees, for professional visas. The first day you could apply was April 1st. Already the US immigration Service estimated that they are likely to run out of these work visas by the end of this week and they estimated that they might have to create a lottery. We haven’t seen that since 2008. Again this is for positions you need to have a bachelor’s degree for. These are highly skilled workers. These are people that are really contributing to our economy and to innovation in this country.
Reporter: Do you think this legislation will really make a significant difference? Offer enough more visas for people who want to come to this country?
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: I certainly hope so. That is really important. These are people that are coming here, they are studying in our universities. They are studying here. We are training them and then there aren’t enough visas to keep them here. They are going back to their country or to our competitors.
Reporter: And there is a question of unskilled workers and the farm workers two separate categories. There is a debate about how long they should be able to stay, what they should be able to be paid. What are the different sides of that argument in terms of wages?
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Absolutely, just on Friday the AFL-CIO and the American Chamber of Commence, which are the biggest labor federation and the biggest business organization, came together and actually sat down and were able to come up with a draft. It is called a W visa, temporary visa that would be for lower skilled workers, people in the retail, construction, janitorial services, hospitality industry and basically they came together and were able to come to an agreement starting April 2015. They propose that there would be a certain amount of visas 20,000 the first year, then 35,000, 55,000, 75,000 and after 5 years based on the US economy and the need for these types of workers, they would re-evaluate the amount of visas that would be needed but certainly there will be provision that will be set forth for the protection of American workers.
Reporter: That Americans don’t want to fill.
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Right, we don’t have workers able or willing to do that type of work.
Reporter: Just quickly, visas and it might depend on the category, does it really mean a gateway to citizenship?
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Absolutely not, I think that is a big myth. As far as “the earned path to citizenship” we are hearing about, it is going to be tough. People are going to have to pay fines they are going to have to pay back taxes, they have to pay penalties. They are going have to go through scrupulous national and criminal background checks. They are going to have to pass English and Civics test. It is not an easy ride.
Reporter: It is not a free ticket.
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Absolutely, it is not an easy ride.
Reporter: All right, Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand thank you so much for shedding some light again on this complicated subject.
Myriam Sanchez Hildenbrand: Thank you so much for having me.
Reporter: Thank you for being here tonight.