Immigration reform

Company information

A well-trained, robust workforce is fundamental to the sustainability of the American economy.  Highly skilled workers add value to the labor force by increasing productivity, strengthening research capabilities, and developing innovative products.  In today’s global economy, American businesses compete with companies from around the world for the best and brightest employees.

HP's position

HP, and indeed all American businesses, must have access to the individuals who will help develop tomorrow's technological innovations and keep America's economy growing strong.

HP supports legislative proposals that ensure HP is able to hire highly skilled workers and develop a mobile and effective workforce. In the long run, the best foreign born employees should be able to get permanent residency in the U.S., providing more stability in hiring choices for both HP and our employees. This will allow American companies to hire with certainty the quality employees that we need to remain competitive.
 
In order to do this, we must:

	•	Implement a market-based cap on the number of H-1B visas issued
	•	Increase the number of employment-based visas
	•	Exempt foreign students who have earned advanced degrees from U.S. universities in STEM fields from the caps on H-1B non-immigrant visas and employment-based immigration visas
	•	Streamline the path to permanent resident status for all foreign graduates who have recently earned advanced degrees from U.S. universities who have job offers from U.S. employers
	•	Ensure an efficient employment verification system that restores integrity to our immigration system

The H-1B is an important issue for HP, because it has become a placeholder for green cards.  If the green card backlog was eradicated, it would take pressure off the H-1B system.

There is clearly market demand for H-1B visas, with 163,000 H-1B petitions received during the filing period ending April 7, 2008.  More than 31,200 of those petitions were for the advanced degree category, making it clear that the U.S. is competing for the best talent. 

	Additional information