STEM優先の必要性について

こんにちは、９月からSakae Bostonでインターンをしているニサです。

本日は気になっているニュースを紹介したいと思います。

今月、アメリカ大統領／副大統領選のテレビ討論会で選挙投票日（１１月６日）に向けてテンションが上がっていました。大統領候補選は経済、財政赤字中心で激論の中、今までにimmigration policy が大きく取り上げてられていません。その一方で、９月に国会議会代表院ではアメリカの移住優先の論がありました。

特に問題になっているのが、STEM (理系分野という意味で、略してScience, Technology, Engineering, Math)　advanced degree programの卒業生。主に共和党がサポートした法案で55,000のwork visaをhigh-skilled advanced graduates of American universitiesに当てることで、ある分野で望ましいスキルを持っている人は就職につき、global competitivenessにつながるという考えです。その法案はThe STEM Jobs ACTといいます。

9月１６日、Christian Science Monitor, Should high skilled immigrants get special treatment?

リンクした記事では高いスキルを持つ移住者は特別に扱うべきなのかと問います。

最近のレポートではSTEM degreeを持っているアメリカ人の数が不足していると発表されました。調査の結果で３人の中４人のアメリカ人がSTEMの新法制をサポートしているので、法案の人気が出るそうです。The STEM Jobs Actは限られていたトップリサーチ大学からPhDの卒業生を優先しています。

一方、代表院では必ずしも全体的に移住者を増やすとでも言っていません。今回の法案で55,000のvisaをSTEMに当たることと引き換えに visa diversity lotteryを無くすと共和党は考えています。今の法制では５％のvisaがdiversityを守るために小さな国から来た人でもチャンスが与えられるvisa categoryがあります。アメリカのimmigration prioritiesではfamily, employment, and diversityが中心です。この３つの中でいつもバランスを保つのが難しいようです。優れたグロバール人材を得るためSTEM visaを強化される必要があっても、やはりdiversity lotteryの問題で法案は進まなくて、代表院で落ちました。

アメリカではimmigration policyの大変問題点が多く、あとで大統領選に影響が出ると思います。

(English version below)

Hello, I'm Nyssa! I started interning at Sakae Boston this fall.

Today I want to talk about some older news that was interesting to me.

In the past two months, the news in America has been abuzz with the Presidential and Vice Presidential debates and November 6th election day tensions are intensifying. While the candidates focus on other issues, such as the economy and health care, it’s interesting that immigration has not been a big issue in the campaign so far.

Meanwhile, in Congress there was a push to address America’s immigration priorities, specifically for high-skilled advanced graduates of American universities. In September, Republicans unveiled a new bill that would grant 55,000 visas a year to foreign-born graduates of American universities. This legislation is called the STEM Jobs Act. The linked article from the Christian Science Monitor on September 16th asked if highly-skilled immigrants should be given preferred treatment.

The bill focuses on PhD recipients who will work in the US for five years and come from 217 universities that qualify as top research institutions. Supporters of the bill say, “In a global economy, we cannot afford to educate these foreign graduate in the US and then send them back home to work for our competitors.” In American immigration politics, there is always a struggle between protecting American workers and retaining highly educated immigrants, but recent reports have begun to indicate that there are not enough Americans with advanced skills to fulfill jobs in the sciences. 3 in 4 Americans support measures to boost STEM immigration. On the other hand, there are powerful groups that have passed laws that the U.S. must provide 5% of all visas to immigrants who represent diversity because they come from small, under-represented countries. American immigration policies are built around family, employment, and diversity. It’s always difficult to maintain a balance between these three concerns. Due to the diversity lottery issue and other concerns, the STEM Jobs Act failed to be passed by the House of Representatives.

In the U.S., there are many different people concerned with immigration policy, which makes it difficult to reach a consensus. Although domestic issues are high on the agenda for many Americans, this year’s presidential candidates’ opinions on immigration may effect who votes for them.