Let’s keep immigrant entrepreneurs

Opinion: August 11, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

By Karen Mills and John Doerr

McClatchy-Tribune

In 1873, German immigrant Levi Strauss made the first pair of blue jeans. In 1968, Hungarian-born Andy Grove founded the world’s largest computer chip maker, Intel. They’re just two examples of a longstanding American tradition of immigrants who come to our country, start a small business, and create millions of jobs.

Unfortunately, due to an outdated visa system, too many of the world’s brightest entrepreneurial minds aren’t here. Some have come to the United States, received training at our excellent universities, and then been forced to leave. Others simply haven’t been able to find a path here in the first place.

Over the last six months, the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, the Small Business Administration, and leaders throughout the administration have traveled around the country and heard a resounding message from hundreds of entrepreneurs and small business owners: This needs to change.

As a result, last week the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced several steps to move in a better direction.

National interest

First, the administration clarified that if an immigrant entrepreneur has an advanced degree or exceptional ability, and shows that their work will be in the country’s national interest, they may qualify for a green card under an existing program (EB-2 visa). This will help keep America on the cutting edge, and maintain an avenue for these entrepreneurs to come to our country, stay and start creating jobs.

Second, in direct response to comments from entrepreneurs, we updated existing public guidance to clarify that immigrant entrepreneurs who own their own business may qualify for the H-1B non-immigrant visa program. This helps businesses that need help from workers in specialized fields like science, engineering and computer programming.

Third, we will expand an existing program that allows employers to get a faster answer on applications for immigrant employees, particularly multinational executives and managers. America’s business owners know that the right person in the right position can serve as a catalyst for creating even more jobs.

Fourth, we will transform and accelerate the review of applications for immigrant investors who seek to invest capital and create jobs in the United States using the EB-5 visa program. Teams with expertise in economic analysis will review these applications.

Reduce barriers

Fifth, we will do even more to reach out specifically to entrepreneurs to make sure that USCIS can address the unique circumstances of entrepreneurs, new businesses and startup companies through smart changes to policies and regulations. We want to foster a system that is reducing barriers to business growth and job creation.

Immigrant business owners generate more than 10 percent of U.S. business income each year. They represent nearly 17 percent of new business owners in America. They are critical pillars of our economy, especially in states like California, Florida, New York and Texas.

Karen Mills is the administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. John Doerr is a member of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness and a partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.