  Iseries840 Member Username: Iseries840 Post Number: 1012 Registered: 08-2005 |
Why Skilled Immigrants Are Leaving the U.S. By Vivek Wadhwa Vivek Wadhwa Tue Mar 3, 8:08 am ET As the debate over H-1B workers and skilled immigrants intensifies, we are losing sight of one important fact: The U.S. is no longer the only land of opportunity. If we don't want the immigrants who have fueled our innovation and economic growth, they now have options elsewhere. Immigrants are returning home in greater numbers. And new research shows they are returning to enjoy a better quality of life, better career prospects, and the comfort of being close to family and friends. Earlier research by my team suggested that a crisis was brewing because of a burgeoning immigration backlog. At the end of 2006, more than 1 million skilled professionals (engineers, scientists, doctors, researchers) and their families were in line for a yearly allotment of only 120,000 permanent resident visas. The wait time for some people ran longer than a decade. In the meantime, these workers were trapped in "immigration limbo." If they changed jobs or even took a promotion, they risked being pushed to the back of the permanent residency queue. We predicted that skilled foreign workers would increasingly get fed up and return to countries like India and China where the economies were booming. Why should we care? Because immigrants are critical to the country's long-term economic health. Despite the fact that they constitute only 12% of the U.S. population, immigrants have started 52% of Silicon Valley's technology companies and contributed to more than 25% of our global patents. They make up 24% of the U.S. science and engineering workforce holding bachelor's degrees and 47% of science and engineering workers who have PhDs. Immigrants have co-founded firms such as Google (NasdaqGS:GOOG - News), Intel (NasdaqGS:INTC - News), eBay (NasdaqGS:EBAY - News), and Yahoo! (NasdaqGS:YHOO - News). Who Are They? Young and Well-Educated We tried to find hard data on how many immigrants had returned to India and China. No government authority seems to track these numbers. But human resources directors in India and China told us that what was a trickle of returnees a decade ago had become a flood. Job applications from the U.S. had increased tenfold over the last few years, they said. To get an understanding of how the returnees had fared and why they left the U.S., my team at Duke, along with AnnaLee Saxenian of the University of California at Berkeley and Richard Freeman of Harvard University, conducted a survey. Through professional networking site LinkedIn, we tracked down 1,203 Indian and Chinese immigrants who had worked or received education in the U.S. and had returned to their home countries. This research was funded by the Kauffman Foundation. Our new paper, "America's Loss Is the World's Gain," finds that the vast majority of these returnees were relatively young. The average age was 30 for Indian returnees, and 33 for Chinese. They were highly educated, with degrees in management, technology, or science. Fifty-one percent of the Chinese held master's degrees and 41% had PhDs. Sixty-six percent of the Indians held a master's and 12.1% had PhDs. They were at very top of the educational distribution for these highly educated immigrant groups -- precisely the kind of people who make the greatest contribution to the U.S. economy and to business and job growth. Nearly a third of the Chinese returnees and a fifth of the Indians came to the U.S. on student visas. A fifth of the Chinese and nearly half of the Indians entered on temporary work visas (such as the H-1B). The strongest factor that brought them to the U.S. was professional and educational development opportunities. What They Miss: Family and Friends They found life in the U.S. had many drawbacks. Returnees cited language barriers, missing their family and friends at home, difficulty with cultural assimilation, and care of parents and children as key issues. About a third of the Indians and a fifth of the Chinese said that visas were a strong factor in their decision to return home, but others left for opportunity and to be close to family and friends. And it wasn't just new immigrants who were returning. In fact, 30% of respondents held permanent resident status or were U.S. citizens. Eighty-seven percent of Chinese and 79% of Indians said a strong factor in their original decision to return home was the growing demand for their skills in their home countries. Their instincts generally proved right. Significant numbers moved up the organization chart. Among Indians the percentage of respondents holding senior management positions increased from 10% in the U.S. to 44% in India, and among Chinese it increased from 9% in the U.S. to 36% in China. Eighty-seven percent of Chinese and 62% of Indians said they had better opportunities for longer-term professional growth in their home countries than in the U.S. Additionally, nearly half were considering launching businesses and said entrepreneurial opportunities were better in their home countries than in the U.S. Friends and family played an equally strong role for 88% of Indians and 77% of Chinese. Care for aging parents was considered by 89% of Indians and 79% of Chinese to be much better in their home countries. Nearly 80% of Indians and 67% of Chinese said family values were better in their home countries. More Options Back Home Immigrants who have arrived at America's shores have always felt lonely and homesick. They had to make big personal sacrifices to provide their children with better opportunities than they had. But they never have had the option to return home. Now they do, and they are leaving. It isn't all rosy back home. Indians complained of traffic and congestion, lack of infrastructure, excessive bureaucracy, and pollution. Chinese complained of pollution, reverse culture shock, inferior education for children, frustration with government bureaucracy, and the quality of health care. Returnees said they were generally making less money in absolute terms, but they also said they enjoyed a higher quality of life. We may not need all these workers in the U.S. during the deepening recession. But we will need them to help us recover from it. Right now, they are taking their skills and ideas back to their home countries and are unlikely to return, barring an extraordinary recruitment effort and major changes to immigration policy. That hardly seems likely given the current political climate. The policy focus now seems to be on doing whatever it takes to retain existing American jobs -- even if it comes at the cost of building a workforce for the future of America. http://news.yahoo.com/s/bw/200 90303/bs_bw/feb2009tc200902289 90934 | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 6730 Registered: 12-2005 |
Iseries840, interesting article. Thanks. I read somewhere that even low-paid Mexican immigrants are returning home because of the economy. | ||
Barnesfoto Member Username: Barnesfoto Post Number: 3569 Registered: 10-2003 |
Foreign students discouraged by increased visa BS, choosing non-US Universities: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03 /03/science/03visa.html?scp=2& sq=foreign%20students&st=cse | ||
Ccbatson Member Username: Ccbatson Post Number: 19143 Registered: 11-2006 |
They go where the opportunities are. That said, even though we are increasingly socialistic, we still have the edge on just about everywhere else. | ||
Classicyesfan Member Username: Classicyesfan Post Number: 596 Registered: 04-2008 |
^^ "Increasingly socialistic" is a positive if you are coming from an emerging or third world country with substandard health care. You know, what with greater access and coverage provided by the dreaded "socialists", etc. Maybe we are not "socialistic" enough to hold onto the workers. I think the wages have stagnated to the point where returning to the country of origin is just becoming a more viable option. (Message edited by classicyesfan on March 03, 2009) | ||
Ccbatson Member Username: Ccbatson Post Number: 19174 Registered: 11-2006 |
The slope and direction is a negative change, however, I agree that it is still far ahead of anywhere else. | ||
Philbert Member Username: Philbert Post Number: 218 Registered: 10-2003 |
good job america. kick out the most educated, hard working and entrepreneurial people who want to further their lives and contribute to the US. | ||
Mopardan Member Username: Mopardan Post Number: 227 Registered: 11-2008 |
Here's the double-edged sword: We want them to stay & contribute. By the same token we get PO'd when they openly practice their religion or customs, I.E. Muslim women covering their faces, etc. That's oversimplifying it but everyone should get the gist of it. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 4536 Registered: 02-2004 |
Philbert quote "good job america. kick out the most educated, hard working and entrepreneurial people who want to further their lives and contribute to the US." Those who in the most educated, hard working and entrepreneurial people are Chinese and East Indians. Since their governments of the past are no longer depending on the Boshevism socialist ideology (thanks to American help); those people are returning to their lands lauch their plan to become like the United States to that we Americans can be allied to them and secure free democratic world. However there are more Hispanics are flowing into the U.S. by the thousands every day and night. They would filling up every last American town, city and village. Starting up their businesses and seize more job oppotunities. | ||
Ccbatson Member Username: Ccbatson Post Number: 19300 Registered: 11-2006 |
Pretty well said Danny. The biggest irony? Of late, while formerly socialistic nations are reforming somewhat. We, the beacon, under comrade Obama (who we voted for) are taking the opposite approach and following their examples to misery under socialism. | ||
D_mcc Member Username: D_mcc Post Number: 1719 Registered: 12-2007 |
Get a life CC | ||
Sstashmoo Member Username: Sstashmoo Post Number: 3420 Registered: 02-2007 |
Quote: "kick out the most educated, hard working and entrepreneurial people who want to further their lives and contribute to the US." A lot of them come here, get a free education and then go back home. | ||
Oladub Member Username: Oladub Post Number: 1286 Registered: 08-2006 |
IBM's solution is to transfer all non face-to-face jobs out of this country. Transferees will have to work at local wage scales. It's odd that high tech workers still come here for jobs at the same time IBM and others are moving high tech jobs overseas. "IBM offers to shift workers losing jobs to lower-wage countries" http://www.computerworld.com/a ction/article.do?command=viewA rticleBasic&articleId=9127550 | ||
Ccbatson Member Username: Ccbatson Post Number: 19313 Registered: 11-2006 |
Ahh, getting a life means owning said life....your recommendation is very anti Obama like. He prefers "unity" a collective life, not owning an individual life. | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 1302 Registered: 05-2006 |
We have been loosing more and more liberties and freedoms for the last 8 years. Bush started the trend with his power grab following 911. Yet so-called conservatives remained silent, even cheered him on. Now, in the interest of salvaging whats left of our economy President Obama is adopting some socialist policies. This has caused all the so-called conservatives to get their panties in a bunch. The American public knew Obama's plan, and still voted him into office. We were tired of the failed free-market policies of the past and wanted change. To all those who disagree, tough! You have to wait until the next election you win to change back to your neo-con idology. | ||
Ccbatson Member Username: Ccbatson Post Number: 19320 Registered: 11-2006 |
What liberty have you lost in the preceding 8 years Detroitej72? I applaud your admission that Obama is socialist however. Of course he would call you a liar. | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 1304 Registered: 05-2006 |
That the govenment can listen to my phone conversations without a court order. Mind you, they will be pretty board listening to my calls, its the principe that grinds my gears. That is why we have a constitution, to protect us from our government. | ||
Alan55 Member Username: Alan55 Post Number: 2613 Registered: 09-2005 |
CC: "What liberty have you lost in the preceding 8 years Detroitej72?" Dubya "liberated" about a TRILLION OF OUR TAX DOLLARS from us by trumping up a war in Iraq. - But your OK with that, aren't you, CC? | ||
Cheddar_bob Member Username: Cheddar_bob Post Number: 1854 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: Who comes here, gets a free education, then goes back home? | ||
Sstashmoo Member Username: Sstashmoo Post Number: 3425 Registered: 02-2007 |
Keep steppin' | ||
Cheddar_bob Member Username: Cheddar_bob Post Number: 1855 Registered: 10-2003 |
I thought it was a perfectly reasonable and acceptable question. I seriously don't know. | ||
Barnesfoto Member Username: Barnesfoto Post Number: 3585 Registered: 10-2003 |
Them! | ||
Cheddar_bob Member Username: Cheddar_bob Post Number: 1857 Registered: 10-2003 |
"Them"? Barnes, you and Sstashmoo are not being very helpful in answering my question. I just want to know who comes here, gets a college education (since college educated people have been the focal point of the conversation to this point), and leaves. | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 4512 Registered: 10-2003 |
quote: Step into any engineering class at the University of Michigan. You're guaranteed to find a few. | ||
Cheddar_bob Member Username: Cheddar_bob Post Number: 1858 Registered: 10-2003 |
You're putting the burden of proof on me, Danindc. It belongs on the originator of the statement. | ||
Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 8656 Registered: 02-2007 |
no, cb, he is stating that you can meet THEM on any college campus | ||
Danindc Member Username: Danindc Post Number: 4527 Registered: 10-2003 |
Okay, fine, I'll rephrase my statement, Cheddar_bob: I went to Michigan with dozens of engineering students from Hong Kong, Singapore, China, India, and other countries, who received an education in the United States, and upon graduation, returned to their home countries. Satisfied? | ||
Cheddar_bob Member Username: Cheddar_bob Post Number: 1860 Registered: 10-2003 |
Did they earn their degrees for free? On the tax payers' dime? | ||
Cheddar_bob Member Username: Cheddar_bob Post Number: 1861 Registered: 10-2003 |
I just noticed that I omitted the word "free" in my post number 1857. While the original argument was about free education, it was my fault for not including the word in that particular post. While the continuity of the argument should be obvious, I don't want to assume that anybody would follow along. | ||
Classicyesfan Member Username: Classicyesfan Post Number: 642 Registered: 04-2008 |
Be careful what you say CC until habeas corpus is restored. The right wing might get a taste of their own medicine when they start getting sent to the new Gitmo for Tea Party protesters. I suspect some people will wish they had never conceded this basic conception from the days of the Magna Carta to the Bush paranoia. |
