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STAR Act 2012 – 55,000 Green Cards for STEM Grads From USA

Republican Senator John Cornyn from Texas introduced Securing the Talent America Requires for the 21st Century or “STAR Act”  to retain top foreign students earning graduate degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from American universities.

We have seen several Bills in US congress related to Legal immigration in last couple of years.

In the current political climate, its not going to be easy to get any major bills passed into law.

From Senator John Cornyn

“In the global competition for the world’s best and brightest minds in math and science, the United States should take a backseat to no one. 

“I am confident the STAR Act will bolster American competitiveness and provide a stronger foundation for long-term economic growth and job creation.”

Overview of the Bill – STAR Act

Nearly half of U.S. Master’s and Ph.D. degree recipients in STEM-related fields come from outside the country, but the lack of a sensible and coherent immigration policy is causing our nation to lose many entrepreneurs and job creators to competitors abroad.

The STAR Act will reform the process by:

  • Allocating 55,000 immigrant visas for eligible STEM graduates (Master’s and Ph.D.) of qualifying U.S. research institutions who have job offers in related fields;
  • Offsetting these allocations by eliminating the so-called “Diversity Visa” lottery program; and
  • Streamlining STEM graduate students’ ability to obtain green cards and remain in the United States by allowing “dual-intent” for those admitted to pursue a STEM degree.

You can read full text of the legislation on Sen. Cornyn’s here.

Why Legal immigration Bill in Important for USA

  • With new changes, one can get residency visa to Australia within 12 months.
  • Germany is streamlining their immigration rules to retain foreign students.
  • Canada is working on new immigration bills which could go into effect by end of this year
  • New Zealand is always been friendly for immigration.

Under this scenario, people will be more inclined to move to other countries. With economy blooming in India and China, there is reverse brain drain.

Unless US congress does something about legal immigration, looking down few years from now, it will be tough for America to compete globally.

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6 Comments

  1. Can you please elaborate on this, HSB? Its really helpful that you have given the information about the following act, and hence I m browsing to know more about the act, and its specific advantages to STEM graduates. Mostly, when you post about stuff like this(Immigration Fairness Act, etc) you post the whole consequences and the effects it has on us. So, if you think, this Act may need more understanding for laymen like me, please put down more about it.

    1. O sleep, it is a gentle thing
      Belov’d from pole to pole!
      To Mary-queen the praise be yeven
      She sent the gentle sleep from heaven
      That slid into my soul.

      ( THE RIME OF THE ANCYENT MARINERE, SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE )

  2. My mind says I wanna earn in dollars but my heart says i would love reverse brain drain. 😀
    I hope whatever USA decides is good for us all.

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