Washington, D.C. — TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of technology CEOs and senior executives, urged the Trump Administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to withdraw two proposed rules: the elimination of the 60-day grace period for H-1B visa holders to find a new position if their employment ends, and steep new fees for the use of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. In letters filed as part of the public comment periods on each rule, TechNet President and CEO Linda Moore warned that these rules are effectively restrictions on high-skilled immigration pathways that advance American innovation leadership and economic competitiveness. Moore stated:
“The U.S. tech industry is a world-leading engine of innovation and economic growth in part because we have long welcomed the brightest minds from across the globe to help us build it. The administration’s latest restrictions on high-skilled immigration pathways endanger this key competitive advantage by depriving our nation of the high-skilled workers who want to contribute to our communities and our economy. TechNet urges the administration to reverse course on these policies so that the world’s top scientific talent will continue to seek out American universities and companies, not those of our foreign competitors like China.”
In the comment letter on the 60-day grace period elimination rule, Moore stressed that allowing qualified workers a limited window of time to remain in the U.S. while seeking a new sponsoring employer or other lawful residency option spares both workers and businesses from recruitment delays and uncertainty. She also raised concern that DHS failed to account for the higher costs that the government and businesses alike would face as a result of reduced workforce mobility, including greater expenses related to talent recruitment, immigration filings, lost productivity, and more.
Regarding OPT, Moore wrote that this program is an essential talent retention tool. It affords international students at American universities the opportunity to support U.S. businesses and innovation in their field of study. Moore warned that five-figure fees on OPT participation would drive prospective students to seek education and build their careers in competing economies where such financial barriers do not exist. She also challenged the proposal as lacking legal basis and justification, given that the fees bear no demonstrated relationship to the costs of administering OPT as the law requires.
In both comments, Moore urged DHS to consider the harmful economic consequences of making the U.S. a less attractive place for high-skilled talent.
TechNet’s comments on the proposed 60-day grace period rule can be viewed here. The comments on the proposed OPT fee rule can be viewed here.