S. 1083 would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase competitiveness in the United States.
Detailed Summary
Securing Knowledge, Innovation, and Leadership Act of 2007 or the SKIL Act of 2007 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to exempt from the annual H-1B (specialty occupation) visa cap an alien who has: (1) earned a master's or higher degree from an accredited U.S. university; or (2) been awarded a medical specialty certification based on post-doctoral training and experience in the United States.
Increases the annual H-1B cap, with a 20% increase for the following year if the previous year's quota is reached.
Exempts from worldwide immigration caps an alien who: (1) has earned a master's or higher degree from an accredited U.S. university; (2) has been awarded medical specialty certification based on postdoctoral training and experience in the United States; (3) will work in shortage occupations; (4) has earned a master's degree or higher in science, technology, engineering, or math and has been working in a related field in the United States during the three-year period preceding his or her immigrant visa application; (5) has extraordinary ability or received a national interest waiver; or (6) is the spouse or minor child of an employment-based immigrant.
Increases the annual immigrant visa cap.
Revises student visa provisions.
Authorizes an L-1 (intracompany transfer) visa extension beyond the fifth or seventh year if the individual has a immigrant application pending.
Permits an alien with an approved labor certification to apply for permanent resident status adjustment if there is no visa immediately available by paying a $500 supplemental fee.
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a pre-certification procedure for employers who file multiple employment petitions.
Revises certain labor certification provisions.
Prohibits immigration application approval until background and security checks have been completed and any fraud allegations have been resolved.
Authorizes temporary workers (E, H, I, L O, or P visas) who have not violated their status to renew their same category visa from within the United States.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 4/10/2007: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
KK
April 18, 2007, 9:01pm (report abuse)This bill is good for legal immigration
TOM
April 27, 2007, 10:09am (report abuse)IT IS VERY GOOD FOR TAX PAYING LEGAL IMMIGRATION CANDIDATES.
S Rengan
April 29, 2007, 9:29am (report abuse)This is an excellent Bill and thanks to the efforts of Sen. Cornyn and others. This would increase competitiveness in US, encouraging talent adoption and promoting country path to prosperity. Kudos!!!!
Gaurav Garg
April 30, 2007, 8:03am (report abuse)This is an excellent solution to the problems faced by skilled legal immigrants and their families. US citizens would highly benefit working side by side with highly skilled immigrants through knowledge sharing and the country can retain the creamy layer of skilled people representing many countries.
Pete
May 1, 2007, 2:43pm (report abuse)This is a good bill that if implemented would ensure retention of skilled talent (all legal - tax payers) and would prevent their migration to other greener pastures.
Scott
May 9, 2007, 6:52pm (report abuse)This is a great bil.we definitely need to make it easy for skilled immigrants to come in and be able to adjust their status soon
melyn
May 11, 2007, 8:58am (report abuse)This is an excellent solution to the problems of US employers. I hope this will be passed soon.
matt
May 13, 2007, 3:21am (report abuse)EXCELLENT WORK MR.CORNYN
Kris
May 20, 2007, 9:11pm (report abuse)great work !!!
Mr.Cornyn
richard
August 8, 2007, 3:38pm (report abuse)Since these people are that talented let them go back to their homeland and make life better for their people.
Samuel
August 14, 2007, 8:47am (report abuse)I do not want to see an increase of competitiveness in US VS. immigrants. The corporate world has already outsourced and offshore enough US jobs to other countries! The USA has more than enough educated and talented citizens to fill the jobs left here!!! I am offended that a US Senator's FIRST and TOP priority not be for US born citizens!
CR
September 24, 2007, 1:43pm (report abuse)This is a horrible bill. Real wages in this country are not rising in the specific fields addressed by the bill (or any other field for that matter). Unemployment for American engineers over the age of 45 is around 80%. Furthermore, the pay difference between CEO/corporate elites and the average employee is at an all-time high and productivity is increasing. This means that those at the top are getting and controlling an increasing portion of the pie and the average citizen is not sharing in the wealth that they are helping to create through increased productivity. This bill is nothing but Congress bowing to their corpoprate masters who in turn finance their re-election campaigns. All are proof positive that the US is nothing more than an oligarchy ruled by the few elite for the few elite.
Gieta
December 23, 2007, 8:50am (report abuse)Excellent work
Mr. Incredible
August 21, 2008, 12:42pm (report abuse)Corrupt congressmen like Doug Lamborn support this bill even though there are 500,000 unemployed Americans in this field.
dotnot
August 22, 2008, 12:36am (report abuse)Obviously foreign workers hit this site and vote for this bill. Let's all *pretend* that a single American would think this is a good idea - let foreign workers take away even more high paying American jobs. What a bunch of idiots.