Forbes [Blog], February 19, 2012 -

 

“In the latest issue of The Economist magazine, the editors warn, “The home of laissez-faire is being suffocated by excessive and badly written regulations.” “…[E]very criticism made about financial over-regulation could be made about employment-based immigration. 

 

“The system for hiring or transferring in skilled foreign nationals is highly regulated and often involves months of uncertainty both for the employee and the employer. And few things are worse for a business than uncertainty. The American Council on International Personnel estimates combined H-1B and green card sponsorship costs (government/legal fees) can exceed $35,000 for one individual. 

 

“…Pick any aspect of employment-related immigration and one will find regulations that compel companies to expend time and money under the notion that the number of jobs in America is fixed, work can be performed in only one geographic location and nearly all individuals in a given field are the same. We know none of those things are true, yet these premises form the heart of U.S. government regulation of employment-related immigration. 

 

The reality is employers unable to hire or transfer an individual in a given location are likely to abandon the work or have it performed elsewhere, most likely abroad. Moreover, people possess different skills and attributes. 

 

“…To sponsor an individual for a green card, an employer, which already hired a skilled foreign national as part of its ongoing recruitment efforts, is told essentially it must “re-recruit” for the position using make-work procedures, such as advertising for a position that is already filled.

 

“…Increased regulation, whether in immigration or other areas, does not create or protect jobs. It takes money away from productive uses in the private sector and reduces the overall economic welfare of the nation. 

 

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