WASHINGTON – Today ITI, the global voice of the tech sector, announced its support for H.R. 1044, the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019. In a letter sent to members of the U.S. House of Representatives, ITI emphasized the importance of high-skilled immigration reform to the tech industry and the legislation’s ability to help propel innovation, grow the U.S. economy, and create American jobs.

ITI scores votes that are key priorities for the tech sector. The following is text of the letter sent to members of Congress announcing the tech organization’s intention to key vote the legislation:

July 9, 2019


Dear Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy:

On behalf of the members of the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), I write to express our strong support for H.R. 1044, the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019. Given the importance of high-skilled immigration reform to the technology sector, we will consider scoring votes in support of final passage in our 116th Congressional Voting Guide.

The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act would eliminate arbitrary per-country caps on employment-based immigrant visas. Our current immigration system dictates that nationals from a single country cannot annually comprise more than seven percent of the total number of employment-based visas. We have long advocated for changes to our immigration system that allow U.S. employers to attract and retain the world’s best and highly educated employees in order to compete in a global marketplace. Removing the antiquated per-country limits on employment-based visas is an important step in maintaining our competitiveness as a nation.

ITI member companies are acutely aware that we live in an age where talent knows no borders. Preventing a skilled worker from providing his or her skill set in the United States because of an arbitrary limit placed on his or her country of origin is counterproductive and no longer makes sense in today’s economy.

The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act is much-needed legislation that will enable highly skilled workers who wish to work in the United States to propel innovation, engender growth in our economy, and help create American jobs. The bill also unites 311 Members of Congress on a single policy and is strongly supported by ITI member companies.

I thank you for your leadership on immigration reform and urge you and your colleagues to support the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act when it comes to the House floor.

Sincerely,

Jason Oxman

President and CEO

cc: Members of the House of Representatives

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