From the Kaufmann Foundation’s National Dialogue on Entrpreneurship:

Much research highlights the close connection between open immigration policies and entrepreneurial activity. By encouraging immigration and the free flow of people and ideas, nations and regions can help promote innovation at the same time. Flexible immigration policies have been a key ingredient in America’s economic success. Yet, after 9/11, borders have tightened and many observers fear that talented foreigners will move elsewhere.

A new policy statement from NAFSA: the Association of International Educators highlights the potential downsides of these trends. NAFSA’s basic claim is that current US immigration policies are based on concepts first developed fifty years ago. As a result, the rules are inflexible and thus block streamlined, effective and regular movement across borders. In today’s globalized world, researchers and foreign talent are likely to move across borders on a regular basis.

The US needs policies that allow for both temporary and permanent resident status for these types of workers and managers. Specifically, NAFSA urges Congress to revise the current visa cap system to increase the flow of foreign talent in the US and to loosen current rules for the provision of student visas. Both of these steps will make it easier for foreign students to be educated, and hopefully, become entrepreneurs, in the US. To view the March 2006 NAFSA Policy Statement on Immigration Reform and Attracting Foreign Talent, visit http://www.nafsa.org/press_releases.sec/press_releases.pg/immigration_reform_stmt