Zuckerberg criticized the nation’s immigration policy for preventing promising but undocumented immigrant students from joining the workforce and contributing in the future of the nation where they are residing. He also said the immigration policy does not provide enough visas for foreign workers with advanced skills. He concluded that comprehensive reform in immigration was required for rooting out anomalies.
Many top executives in technology companies keep complaining that U.S. universities are not producing enough math and science graduates to meet industry needs in U.S. For them, it is better to bring foreign skilled workers into U.S. and do the work here rather than having to send entire work processes abroad.
However, critics think that the talent shortage is not as high as portrayed, and that many of the jobs for which H-1B visas are being issued could have well gone to computer professionals in the country, who remain without jobs.
The article contributed by Zuckerberg formally introduced a new group, FWD.us, which is focused on promoting bipartisan polices to bring the U.S. “knowledge economy” in line with current realities.
In fact, this sentiment prevails among the biggest technology companies in the world.
Last December, a Rock Center exclusive with Brian Williams on NBC News reported an interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook. The report mentioned, “Cook believes the U.S. education system is failing to produce enough people with the skills needed for modern manufacturing processes.” This is the reason the Apple CEO provided in the interview for not shifting its manufacturing lines from China to U.S., emphasizing that it’s not so much about the costs, as it was about the skills.