Released on = September 8, 2006, 1:45 pm

Press Release Author = Immigration Voice

Industry = Computers

Press Release Summary = Immigration Voice member, Shilpa Ghodgaonkar participated on
a panel on Immigration at the Indian American Republican Council's fall conference
in Washington DC on September 7th.

Press Release Body = Washington, D.C., September 8th, 2006
Immigration Voice member, Shilpa Ghodgaonkar participated on a panel on Immigration
at the Indian American Republican Council's fall conference in Washington DC on
September 7th.
The speaker list constituted prominent leaders from the Republican Party - Senate
Majority Leader Bill Frist, Senators Brownback, George Allen, as well as U.S. House
Representatives, Speaker Hastert, Ros-Lehtinen, Ed Royce, Bobby Jindal and Joe
Wilson.
Speaking at the event, Shilpa called for more focus on legal highly skilled
immigration and urgent reform of the antiquated employment-based immigration system,
adding that loss of talent to other countries was not in America's interest. Ms.
Ghodgaonkar observed - immigration debate included illegal immigration and H-1B
quotas, but the issues faced by the legal educated foreign workers working in the US
and seeking permanent residency were largely ignored.
Noting that 255,000 employment-based applications pending at the DOL (April 2006)
and 170,000 to 230,000 applications pending at the USCIS translated into
unconscionable delays, she elucidated the impact of bad bureaucracy on the lives of
individuals: "During the long wait, highly skilled foreign workers are wary of
buying homes, cannot accept promotions or change jobs for fear of losing their
position in the green card queue - particularly because their job description is
tied to the green card. Highly qualified doctors, scientists, engineers... etc.
cannot utilize their skills to the fullest potential. Individuals cannot innovate
and start companies that would create new jobs. lives are on hold. More importantly,
employers share the same frustration, as they cannot access the talent pool
available here in the US."
Illustrating how Canada, UK, Australia, etc. are competing to welcome creative
talent, and citing reasons for shortage of skills in the US, Ms. Ghodgaonkar added
that America direly needs to attract talent to sustain technological leadership. "Of
the total legal immigration in 2004 and 2005, only 7.5% and 10.2% respectively went
to highly skilled principal applicants. 2004-2005 figures from Australia indicate
that their migration program comprised of 60% skilled immigrants".

\"The last time the quota for skilled immigrants was debated in congress was in 1990.
That was 16 years ago,\" said Ms. Ghodgaonkar. Stating that high-skilled immigration
created a net benefit to the country, she urged lawmakers to address immigration in
a piece-by-piece manner, and pass sensible legislation that would retain talent in
the country. "This is basically a symbiotic relationship, which if nurtured well
will bring rich rewards to the US as well as the immigrants who are contributing
here."

Commending Senator Cornyn and Representative Shadegg for introducing the SKIL Bill
in the Senate and the House, Ms. Ghodgaonkar concluded "The US can continue to
remain the shining city on the hill, if it attracts high-skilled workers who will be
great assets to this country".

About Immigration Voice:

Immigration Voice (www.immigrationvoice.org) is a non-profit national grassroots
organization committed to feasible solutions to a broken employment-based
immigration process. Immigration Voice is advocating for technical changes that will
improve the quality of life of several individuals that are stuck in the
backlogs/delays, and help the system to work as it was intended.

Contact:
Aman Kapoor
Immigration Voice
850-294-3556


Web Site = http://www.immigrationvoice.org

Contact Details = P O Box 114
Dayton,NJ 08110
info@immigrationvoice.org