Immigration bill could help foreign students stay here after graduation

The sweeping immigration bill that passed the U.S. Senate in June and faces an uncertain future in the House would make it easier for foreign students in the science, engineering, technology or math fields to both get to, and stay in, the United States after graduation.

“Graduate students, especially in the STEM fields, are a key element of the enterprise for basic research that drives the development of the next technologies,” said Mark Burnham, MSU’s vice president for government affairs, who has lobbied Congress on the issue. “And we’d like to keep that talent here.”

Although only 6 percent of Michigan’s population is foreign born, immigrants have launched nearly one-third of the high-tech firms created in the state in the past decade, according to a report from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

More than half of Michigan’s doctoral students and as many as 40 percent of students pursuing a master’s degree in a STEM field come from other countries, according to Gov. Rick Snyder.

“These talented people are innovators and risk takers and ultimately, job creators, who can help our state and national economies grow and prosper,” Snyder has said.

That’s one reason that the state has an international student retention program. Started in southeast Michigan in 2011 and expanded statewide in 2012, the Global Talent Retention Initiative works with international students attending more than 20 Michigan schools. The program helps the students sell themselves to employers, helps connect employers to students, and helps demystify the challenges of hiring foreigners.

Program director Athena Trentin said immigration law should be changed to catch up with countries like Canada, Australia and Germany where the rules are designed to attract top talent. Trentin said the U.S. debate has been so stuck on the issue of undocumented workers that people are unable to see that the nation’s policies are hurting the economy.??

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