For first time, quota for skilled worker visas not met

Just about every year, Silicon Valley appeals to Washington for immigration reform. High-tech firms say they need to increase the number of visas for highly skilled workers to bring much needed engineering and business talent. They also ask for reforms to the nation's green card program to keep the talent that is already here. This year is no different, except that this year for the first time high-tech and other firms did not use the allotted 65,000 H-1B visas set aside for non-immigrant skilled workers. In fiscal year 2009 ending Sept. 30, 2009, 46,000 H-1B petitions had been filed, leaving about approximately 19,000 H-1B visas unused at the beginning of FY 2010. Even so, two weeks ago, the CEOs of Microsoft, Intel, Cisco and dozens of other high-tech firms again appealed to the White House for those reforms in a letter on improving the jobs picture. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), said last summer he plans to introduce a bill to reform the H-1B visa program and green card policies.