To many Americans, the issue of employment visas is a distant concern. How foreign citizens obtain work in the United States and the legal difficulties they face, however, is far more important to our society than is often acknowledged.
Why?
For the simple reason that despite the great wealth of talent, experience, knowledge and diversity in the United States, many organizations simply cannot find staff who are able to meet their particular needs.
This is an issue I understand quite well, for I was once in the position of working abroad - in Russia. Russia is frequently referred to as a country teeming with abundant resources, talented and highly educated professionals, and a wealth of business opportunity. Yet it is a country in dire need of well-qualified professionals in certain fields. It is also a country that makes legal employment of foreign citizens exeedingly difficult.
I was one such professional whose skills and experience could not be found in the Russian population. In a perfect system, I would have been granted an employment visa in short order and with minimal bureaucratic hurdles. Instead, I found myself working illegally for months on end, receiving my salary either in cash or wired abroad and generally living in fear of being discovered by the authorities.
The United States is in serious need of immigration reform, something very few people dispute. My past experince in Russia, my position as a small business owner in America and my numerous friends and acquaitainces who are immigrants to this country have all taught me that we can do much better. We need a visa system that is clear and straightforward for immigrants, employers, immigration lawyers and law enforcement. Only by welcoming those who have much needed skills will we be able strenghten our country and its economy.
