As the rhetoric concerning immigration in the U.S. has become increasingly severe, politicians and the public are ignoring the harmful effects that protectionist immigration policies in the U.S. have on the economy in both Illinois and the rest of the nation. As the rest of the world has rebounded since the recession that happened in the late 2000s, the U.S. economy has improved more slowly. Part of the reason is that instituting severe limitations on the ability of businesses to hire skilled foreign workers for positions that they have difficulty filling has slowed their ability to grow. An immigration lawyer understands the issues that are caused by restrictive immigration policies and works to help businesses get visas for the foreign workers that they need.
Foreign Workers Do Not Take Away American Jobs
One of the ideas that is promoted by politicians is that highly skilled foreign nationals take jobs away from American workers. The flaw in this belief is the assumption that there are a set number of jobs in the country. The number of jobs that are available is fluid and depends on the ability of companies to grow and expand. When businesses have positions available for which they cannot find U.S. workers, foreign workers help those businesses to grow, increase profits and add more jobs in the process.
Immigrants Encourage Job Creation and Economic Growth
When foreign nationals invest money in new ventures in the U.S. and bring their talents here, it stimulates the economy. The strength of the U.S. in the long-term is somewhat dependent on highly skilled workers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Many businesses in Chicago need more workers in these particular fields than there are available Americans who have the required education and skills. These businesses have depended on their ability to fill their employment needs with foreign workers who do have the needed skill set. Limits on employment visas and H-1B visas have hampered the economic recovery in the nation, slowing job creation and the flow of money needed to fuel the economy.
Contrary to misconceptions, foreign workers also do not drive down the wages of U.S. workers. Instead, highly skilled workers in the STEM professions tend to make as much or more than do American workers, encouraging wage increases for all in the field. An immigration lawyer may work to get approval for businesses so that they can secure the skilled workers that they need.
