eyeswe
09-04 02:25 PM
While I may not subscribe to the theory of no work at CIS, if most cases are pre-adj and so the dates have to move forward, I do believe that the 485 is now essentially a two step process
Step 1: Accepting 485, EAD, AP apps.. with the EAD and AP being optional
You need the PD date to apply to this step 1.
Then comes the prep work for Step 2 ---a spate of FP, Medical, background checks, RFE's and a ton of those beore they can say your case is waiting for Visa number...
And then ..
Step 2 : Your case is now adjudicated . When the visa number becomes available you get the magic card...
If the work for Step 2 for most of the applicants has been done .. then there is no harm in moving the PD to accept more of Step 1 apps... at least that is how my pea sized brain thinks...
They can always control Step 2 through a combo of PD, RD, ND and what not... so while several of 2006,2007 may be current again in 2010, they will only grant GC to one's who fit in their scheme of RD, ND's etc...
Just prophesizing....for 2010
Step 1: Accepting 485, EAD, AP apps.. with the EAD and AP being optional
You need the PD date to apply to this step 1.
Then comes the prep work for Step 2 ---a spate of FP, Medical, background checks, RFE's and a ton of those beore they can say your case is waiting for Visa number...
And then ..
Step 2 : Your case is now adjudicated . When the visa number becomes available you get the magic card...
If the work for Step 2 for most of the applicants has been done .. then there is no harm in moving the PD to accept more of Step 1 apps... at least that is how my pea sized brain thinks...
They can always control Step 2 through a combo of PD, RD, ND and what not... so while several of 2006,2007 may be current again in 2010, they will only grant GC to one's who fit in their scheme of RD, ND's etc...
Just prophesizing....for 2010
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raysaikat
01-23 12:13 AM
Has anyone of you heard about Nunc Pro Tunc H1B? Will that help in my current situation with a valid and approved LCA?
Nunc pro tunc means a retroactive action normally used to correct past clerical errors. For instance, suppose your birth year is 1978 and in a form you put 1987. You may be able to retroactively correct that, which would be a nunc pro tunc.
Your problem is not a clerical error; you did not file H1-B in the first place and started working. I will be extremely surprised if you can make USCIS accept (what is in essence) a back-dated H1-B petition!
Nunc pro tunc means a retroactive action normally used to correct past clerical errors. For instance, suppose your birth year is 1978 and in a form you put 1987. You may be able to retroactively correct that, which would be a nunc pro tunc.
Your problem is not a clerical error; you did not file H1-B in the first place and started working. I will be extremely surprised if you can make USCIS accept (what is in essence) a back-dated H1-B petition!
apb
09-14 06:52 PM
I missed out on this one...
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cbpds
04-07 02:18 PM
Hope the may bulletin is published by tommorow as Obama has threatened to veto any stop gap bill
Obama vows to veto short-term bill - Washington Times (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/apr/7/senate-leader-reid-government-headed-shutdown/)
Obama vows to veto short-term bill - Washington Times (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/apr/7/senate-leader-reid-government-headed-shutdown/)
more...
kumar07
09-12 12:05 PM
Hi Friends,
Here is my Situation;
me and my wife,both residents of singapore, have h1b approved this year through the same consultancy firm and the company has already received the approval notice. We are planning to appear for visa interview sometime end of this month with Singapore Embassy and the company is going to send all the documents by next week.
Since we both are going for visa interview, I have few concerns regarding our cases:
1 We both are planning to go for visa interview on the same day. So, who should go first so that it would not interfere others interview? Or does it really make any difference?
2 Will visa officer ask any of us that since you are married why you haven't bring your spouse together? Can we say that the other also has h1b interview on the same day?
3 I am not sure whether my wife would face any questions regarding that she is married and does she have any spouse issues or what if mine H1b is not going to approved? would she still be interested to pursue her h1b or like that?
4 My h1b was denied last year because of company project document issue with same singapore embassy. So I am not sure does it going to make any impact this time or not? Any help appreciated.
I would appreciate if anyone could help me to find any of the answers.
Thanks.
Here is my Situation;
me and my wife,both residents of singapore, have h1b approved this year through the same consultancy firm and the company has already received the approval notice. We are planning to appear for visa interview sometime end of this month with Singapore Embassy and the company is going to send all the documents by next week.
Since we both are going for visa interview, I have few concerns regarding our cases:
1 We both are planning to go for visa interview on the same day. So, who should go first so that it would not interfere others interview? Or does it really make any difference?
2 Will visa officer ask any of us that since you are married why you haven't bring your spouse together? Can we say that the other also has h1b interview on the same day?
3 I am not sure whether my wife would face any questions regarding that she is married and does she have any spouse issues or what if mine H1b is not going to approved? would she still be interested to pursue her h1b or like that?
4 My h1b was denied last year because of company project document issue with same singapore embassy. So I am not sure does it going to make any impact this time or not? Any help appreciated.
I would appreciate if anyone could help me to find any of the answers.
Thanks.
rsayed
04-27 11:07 AM
whether the incident is true or not, IV member is trying caution everybody that all should be very careful when handing over their passport to a third person. We should be fully focused when an officer examines our passport.
Very true - you would think such things don't happen (and they probably don't) - but one should always be attentive at Airports.
Very true - you would think such things don't happen (and they probably don't) - but one should always be attentive at Airports.
more...
masterji
09-23 03:59 PM
I applied for my second AP on 08/11/2009, was approved on 09/03/2009, was received at the attorney's office on 09/10/2009. Service center NSC.
No FP was done. FWIW my last FP was in Jan 09.
Thanks for the info
No FP was done. FWIW my last FP was in Jan 09.
Thanks for the info
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usdreams
05-25 02:01 PM
Hi kzinjuwadia,
Thank you for your reply, made me relaxed, hopefully, things will go smooth and without any RFE on my side, already had so many problems with my wife's case and hopefully, we will get her GC very soon thru the court (She was out of status on H4 and I-485 denied and she was put in deportation proceedings and we got retroactive H4 NPT Approval and filed the I-485 in the court and hopefully will get her GC soon since my PD is current).
Thanks Again.
I don't think infopass does any harm to you. it may give more info ahead of time. I had infopass on may 12 as one of my friends with later PD got the approval email. the IO told me the case is approved and approvals are mailed already. got the GC next day :) This is my experience. I don't know if anyone had a bad experience at infopass or something that caused additional problem for their case. I think your's is a genuine case as your PD is current and it's almost month end and many with PD after you are already approved.
Thank you for your reply, made me relaxed, hopefully, things will go smooth and without any RFE on my side, already had so many problems with my wife's case and hopefully, we will get her GC very soon thru the court (She was out of status on H4 and I-485 denied and she was put in deportation proceedings and we got retroactive H4 NPT Approval and filed the I-485 in the court and hopefully will get her GC soon since my PD is current).
Thanks Again.
I don't think infopass does any harm to you. it may give more info ahead of time. I had infopass on may 12 as one of my friends with later PD got the approval email. the IO told me the case is approved and approvals are mailed already. got the GC next day :) This is my experience. I don't know if anyone had a bad experience at infopass or something that caused additional problem for their case. I think your's is a genuine case as your PD is current and it's almost month end and many with PD after you are already approved.
more...
pappu
05-22 04:57 PM
Lets focus on action items.
Thanks
Thanks
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HOPE_GC_SOON
07-16 11:47 AM
I second this: NO Link of Wage Level to EB2. what all matters is Qualification and Job requirement. That's what I heard from my Paralegal.
I agree. I am EB2 and my Prevailing_Wage_Level is Level II
I agree. I am EB2 and my Prevailing_Wage_Level is Level II
more...
satyasrd
06-01 09:31 AM
I agree and believe we can get #3 passed. It will provide relief to thousands like myself who have to struggle to maintain a status.
I have asked this question several times to IV/Pappu but got no response. Is is possible to ask for this provision asap ? We know that IV is working on a bigger cause to get us all GC's but honestly no one is sure when and if CIR will happen. Even if it does no one can guarantee that our interests will not be put aside.
I am surprised that whenever I ask for this temporary relief, I see no one else coming forward. I know that there are thousands waiting to file their I-485 but no one wants to speak up ?! That's very disheartening !
Even if we can get one of these, especially, Item #3 passed will provide relief to many candidates.
For example, we can request Congress to amend to "Allow USCIS to issue 3 year EAD along with I140 Approval."
Can IV help pass this request on Advocacy days?
I have asked this question several times to IV/Pappu but got no response. Is is possible to ask for this provision asap ? We know that IV is working on a bigger cause to get us all GC's but honestly no one is sure when and if CIR will happen. Even if it does no one can guarantee that our interests will not be put aside.
I am surprised that whenever I ask for this temporary relief, I see no one else coming forward. I know that there are thousands waiting to file their I-485 but no one wants to speak up ?! That's very disheartening !
Even if we can get one of these, especially, Item #3 passed will provide relief to many candidates.
For example, we can request Congress to amend to "Allow USCIS to issue 3 year EAD along with I140 Approval."
Can IV help pass this request on Advocacy days?
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sri1309
11-03 07:33 PM
short answer Nope
a) because immigration is not high on Obama's agenda.
b) the economic downturn will be used by the the anti's to thwart any measure to help us
c) We are still very low on everyone's plate, democrats will want to get the illegals and all will use us as a pawn.
d) The trend is that the right will become hard right and left will become hard left...wait and watch.
the guys who will post bad comments, please remember that i had posted something similar when the democrats got majority and we have multiple threads singing the lords praise and showering flowers. It will be politics as usual.
We need lots of active members to make ONE strong case and keep hammering away at the lawmakers, instead we get a daily dose of self motivated threads which divide the already small group into smaller groups ((petitions, cases, class actions, EB3 Vs EB2, masters Vs 'grand'Masters etc:rolleyes:) .
Imagine you are one of the candidates. Will you raise it. We must make them realize this is important,once they get elected.
This cannot be an issue to be raised by any candidate thats more focussed only on economy. Immigrants arent playing any +ve or -ve role here. So why will their issues be part of election campaign.
Again, please congratulate the new president, and do let them know our pain..Tell them we need some dynamic leadership and quicker action.
a) because immigration is not high on Obama's agenda.
b) the economic downturn will be used by the the anti's to thwart any measure to help us
c) We are still very low on everyone's plate, democrats will want to get the illegals and all will use us as a pawn.
d) The trend is that the right will become hard right and left will become hard left...wait and watch.
the guys who will post bad comments, please remember that i had posted something similar when the democrats got majority and we have multiple threads singing the lords praise and showering flowers. It will be politics as usual.
We need lots of active members to make ONE strong case and keep hammering away at the lawmakers, instead we get a daily dose of self motivated threads which divide the already small group into smaller groups ((petitions, cases, class actions, EB3 Vs EB2, masters Vs 'grand'Masters etc:rolleyes:) .
Imagine you are one of the candidates. Will you raise it. We must make them realize this is important,once they get elected.
This cannot be an issue to be raised by any candidate thats more focussed only on economy. Immigrants arent playing any +ve or -ve role here. So why will their issues be part of election campaign.
Again, please congratulate the new president, and do let them know our pain..Tell them we need some dynamic leadership and quicker action.
more...
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shx
03-31 06:14 PM
Its almost common knowledge that most of L1s are given to rank and file employees. Out of all the L1 people that I know, there's not even one that can be said to possess specialized knowledge. I'm sure there are a few legitimate L1 cases.
Don't give me this divide and conquer crap. A loophole is a loophole and it needs to be plugged, be it H1 or L1.
Don't give me this divide and conquer crap. A loophole is a loophole and it needs to be plugged, be it H1 or L1.
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dhesha
08-15 01:59 PM
Couldn't resist opening a new thread and sharing this with fellow IVians.
We got our green cards today. It is actually green (in the back).
Another announcement is that I recently relocated to northern Mississippi. Would like to join up with other state chapter members. I am willing to coordinate with the group in Memphis TN.
Thanks IV. I and my spouse benefited a lot from the July 2007VB and the work IV did concerning it. So, I will do more than just stick around but continue to be active as usual. The system is still broken and we will have to work to fix it.
What is ur PD, ND, RD and Service Center?
We got our green cards today. It is actually green (in the back).
Another announcement is that I recently relocated to northern Mississippi. Would like to join up with other state chapter members. I am willing to coordinate with the group in Memphis TN.
Thanks IV. I and my spouse benefited a lot from the July 2007VB and the work IV did concerning it. So, I will do more than just stick around but continue to be active as usual. The system is still broken and we will have to work to fix it.
What is ur PD, ND, RD and Service Center?
more...
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meridiani.planum
09-21 02:15 PM
sri1309..Thanks for your reply but can we get homes for 300 to 400 k there. How about bay area
proper bay area in any decent neighbourhood is going to run anywhere from 600K-2million. For 400k I think the only places in south bay would be either parts of south san jose or Milpitas. Neighborhood is not going to bevery nice.
Another option (depending on where you are working) could be part-way up the bay, say union city, or San Ramon.
Check ziprealty.com
proper bay area in any decent neighbourhood is going to run anywhere from 600K-2million. For 400k I think the only places in south bay would be either parts of south san jose or Milpitas. Neighborhood is not going to bevery nice.
Another option (depending on where you are working) could be part-way up the bay, say union city, or San Ramon.
Check ziprealty.com
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singhsa3
07-12 09:20 AM
Remember green card is a privilege and not a right. But your waiting period idea is well taken.
I would say put 'Retrogressions' and waiting periods also in perspective.
In the world and era of progression
We get the word of 'Retrogression'
I would say put 'Retrogressions' and waiting periods also in perspective.
In the world and era of progression
We get the word of 'Retrogression'
more...
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tinku01
03-26 01:05 PM
in Coming may bulletin EB2 will go upto July 2004
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Bogdan
06-04 12:39 PM
As a statistician, can you not live with something like "There's an 80% chance that statistics is considered part of the "M" in STEM"?
(Couldn't resist. Just trying to find something humorous in our common misery.)
You are right. Since the 95% Confidence Interval for for the probability of Statistics being one of the majors in STEM is (0.4, 1.0), the lower limit of this interval is too low for me not to live with the doubt. But I'll survive...
(Couldn't resist. Just trying to find something humorous in our common misery.)
You are right. Since the 95% Confidence Interval for for the probability of Statistics being one of the majors in STEM is (0.4, 1.0), the lower limit of this interval is too low for me not to live with the doubt. But I'll survive...
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snowshoe
12-18 01:33 PM
I called Carnival, the CSR mentioned that I only need a passport and a US visa. However, their website says check with the country's embassy for immigration documents. I guess I will err on the side of caution and get Mexican tourist visa.
Buddy
When I took VISA and entered into Mexico and asked Mexican Immigration Officer please stamp my passport as I entered in Mexico, but he said if you are in Mexico for less than 72 hours then you don't need to take VISA or special permission if your stay is going to more than 72 hours then you need to take visiting VISA...I took it because I was going with my entire family...but I knew my collegues went to Mexico for stamping..without taking any Mexico VISA..hope this helps..if you need any additional info please let me know.
Thanks
Raj
Buddy
When I took VISA and entered into Mexico and asked Mexican Immigration Officer please stamp my passport as I entered in Mexico, but he said if you are in Mexico for less than 72 hours then you don't need to take VISA or special permission if your stay is going to more than 72 hours then you need to take visiting VISA...I took it because I was going with my entire family...but I knew my collegues went to Mexico for stamping..without taking any Mexico VISA..hope this helps..if you need any additional info please let me know.
Thanks
Raj
kumar1
07-11 12:02 PM
Well, I disagree - I am sure they have certain number of work force dedicated to work on I-485 cases. They will not accept any I-485 till October....so tell me one more time what are they going to do till October?
I agree with rest of your points about family based AP, EAD etc.
I agree with rest of your points about family based AP, EAD etc.
purgan
01-22 11:35 AM
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5585.html
The Immigrant Technologist:
Studying Technology Transfer with China
Q&A with: William Kerr and Michael Roberts
Published: January 22, 2007
Author: Michael Roberts
Executive Summary:
Immigrants account for almost half of Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers in the U.S., and are prime drivers of technology development. Increasingly, however, Chinese technologists and entrepreneurs are staying home to pursue opportunities. Is this a brain drain? Professor William Kerr discusses the phenomena of technology transfer and implications for U.S.-based businesses and policymakers.
The trend of Chinese technologists and entrepreneurs staying home rather than moving to the United States is a trend that potentially offers both harm and opportunity to U.S.-based interests.
Immigrants account for almost half of Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers in the U.S. and are strong contributors to American technology development. It is in the United States' interest to attract and retain this highly skilled group.
U.S. multinationals are placing larger shares of their R&D into foreign countries, around 15 percent today. U.S.-based ethnic scientists within multinationals help facilitate the operation of these foreign direct investment facilities in their home countries.
Immigrants account for almost half of Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers in the U.S., and are prime drivers of technology development. Increasingly, however, Chinese technologists and entrepreneurs are staying home to pursue opportunities. Is this a brain drain?
Q: Describe your research and how it relates to what you observed in China.
A: My research focuses on technology transfer through ethnic scientific and entrepreneurial networks. Traditional models of technology diffusion suggest that if you have a great idea, people who are ten feet away from you will learn about that idea first, followed by people who are 100 miles away, and so forth in concentric circles. My research on ethnic networks suggests this channel facilitates faster knowledge transfer and faster adoption of foreign technologies. For example, if the Chinese have a strong presence in the U.S. computer industry, relative to other ethnic groups, then computer technologies diffuse faster to China than elsewhere. This is true even for computer advances made by Americans, as the U.S.-based Chinese increase awareness and tacit knowledge development regarding these advances in their home country.
Q: Is your research relevant to other countries as well?
China is at a tipping point for entrepreneurship on an international scale.A: Yes, I have extended my empirical work to include over thirty industries and nine ethnicities, including Indian, Japanese, Korean, and Hispanic. It is very important to develop a broad sample to quantify correctly the overall importance of these networks. The Silicon Valley Chinese are a very special case, and my work seeks to understand the larger benefit these networks provide throughout the global economy. These macroeconomic findings are important inputs to business and policy circles.
Q: What makes technology transfer happen? Is it entrepreneurial opportunity in the home country, a loyalty to the home country, or government policies that encourage or require people to come home?
A: It's all of those. Surveys of these diasporic communities suggest they aid their home countries through both formal business relationships and informal contacts. Formal mechanisms run the spectrum from direct financial investment in overseas businesses that pursue technology opportunities to facilitating contracts and market awareness. Informal contacts are more frequent�the evidence we have suggests they are at least twice as common�and even more diverse in nature. Ongoing research will allow us to better distinguish these channels. A Beijing scholar we met on the trip, Henry Wang, and I are currently surveying a large population of Chinese entrepreneurs to paint a more comprehensive picture of the micro-underpinnings of this phenomena.
Q: What about multinational corporations? How do they fit into this scenario?
A: One of the strongest trends of globalization is that U.S. multinationals are placing larger shares of their R&D into foreign countries. About 5 percent of U.S.-sponsored R&D was done in foreign countries in the 1980s, and that number is around 15 percent today. We visited Microsoft's R&D center in Beijing to learn more about its R&D efforts and interactions with the U.S. parent. This facility was founded in the late 1990s, and it has already grown to house a third of Microsoft's basic-science R&D researchers. More broadly, HBS assistant professor Fritz Foley and I are working on a research project that has found that U.S.-based ethnic scientists within multinationals like Microsoft help facilitate the operation of these foreign direct investment facilities in their home countries.
Q: Does your research have implications for U.S. policy?
A: One implication concerns immigration levels. It is interesting to note that while immigrants account for about 15 percent of the U.S. working population, they account for almost half of our Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers. Even within the Ph.D. ranks, foreign-born individuals have a disproportionate number of Nobel Prizes, elections to the National Academy of Sciences, patent citations, and so forth. They are a very strong contributor to U.S. technology development, so it is in the United States' interest to attract and retain this highly skilled group. It is one of the easiest policy levers we have to influence our nation's rate of innovation.
Q: Are countries that send their scholars to the United States losing their best and brightest?
A: My research shows that having these immigrant scientists, entrepreneurs, and engineers in the United States helps facilitate faster technology transfer from the United States, which in turn aids economic growth and development. This is certainly a positive benefit diasporas bring to their home countries. It is important to note, however, that a number of factors should be considered in the "brain drain" versus "brain gain" debate, for which I do not think there is a clear answer today.
Q: Where does China stand in relation to some of the classic tiger economies that we've seen in the past in terms of technology transfer?
A: Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and similar smaller economies have achieved a full transition from agriculture-based economies to industrialized economies. In those situations, technology transfer increases labor productivity and wages directly. The interesting thing about China and also India is that about half of their populations are still employed in the agricultural sector. In this scenario, technology transfer may lead to faster sector reallocation�workers moving from agriculture to industry�which can weaken wage growth compared with the classic tiger economy example. This is an interesting dynamic we see in China today.
Q: The export growth that technology may engender is only one prong of the mechanism that helps economic development. Does technology also make purely domestic industries more productive?
A: Absolutely. My research shows that countries do increase their exports in industries that receive large technology infusions, but non-exporting industries also benefit from technology gains. Moreover, the technology transfer can raise wages in sectors that do not rely on technology to the extent there is labor mobility across sectors. A hairdresser in the United States, for example, makes more money than a hairdresser in China, and that is due in large part to the wage equilibrium that occurs across occupations and skill categories within an economy. Technology transfer may alter the wage premiums assigned to certain skill sets, for example, increasing the wage gaps between skilled and unskilled workers, but the wage shifts can feed across sectors through labor mobility.
Q: What are the implications for the future?
A: Historically, the United States has been very successful at the retention of foreign-born, Ph.D.-level scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs. As China and India continue to develop, they will become more attractive places to live and to start companies. The returnee pattern may accelerate as foreign infrastructures become more developed for entrepreneurship. This is not going to happen over the next three years, but it is quite likely over the next thirty to fifty years. My current research is exploring how this reverse migration would impact the United States' rate of progress.
About the author
Michael Roberts is a senior lecturer in the Entrepreneurial Management unit at Harvard Business School.
The Immigrant Technologist:
Studying Technology Transfer with China
Q&A with: William Kerr and Michael Roberts
Published: January 22, 2007
Author: Michael Roberts
Executive Summary:
Immigrants account for almost half of Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers in the U.S., and are prime drivers of technology development. Increasingly, however, Chinese technologists and entrepreneurs are staying home to pursue opportunities. Is this a brain drain? Professor William Kerr discusses the phenomena of technology transfer and implications for U.S.-based businesses and policymakers.
The trend of Chinese technologists and entrepreneurs staying home rather than moving to the United States is a trend that potentially offers both harm and opportunity to U.S.-based interests.
Immigrants account for almost half of Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers in the U.S. and are strong contributors to American technology development. It is in the United States' interest to attract and retain this highly skilled group.
U.S. multinationals are placing larger shares of their R&D into foreign countries, around 15 percent today. U.S.-based ethnic scientists within multinationals help facilitate the operation of these foreign direct investment facilities in their home countries.
Immigrants account for almost half of Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers in the U.S., and are prime drivers of technology development. Increasingly, however, Chinese technologists and entrepreneurs are staying home to pursue opportunities. Is this a brain drain?
Q: Describe your research and how it relates to what you observed in China.
A: My research focuses on technology transfer through ethnic scientific and entrepreneurial networks. Traditional models of technology diffusion suggest that if you have a great idea, people who are ten feet away from you will learn about that idea first, followed by people who are 100 miles away, and so forth in concentric circles. My research on ethnic networks suggests this channel facilitates faster knowledge transfer and faster adoption of foreign technologies. For example, if the Chinese have a strong presence in the U.S. computer industry, relative to other ethnic groups, then computer technologies diffuse faster to China than elsewhere. This is true even for computer advances made by Americans, as the U.S.-based Chinese increase awareness and tacit knowledge development regarding these advances in their home country.
Q: Is your research relevant to other countries as well?
China is at a tipping point for entrepreneurship on an international scale.A: Yes, I have extended my empirical work to include over thirty industries and nine ethnicities, including Indian, Japanese, Korean, and Hispanic. It is very important to develop a broad sample to quantify correctly the overall importance of these networks. The Silicon Valley Chinese are a very special case, and my work seeks to understand the larger benefit these networks provide throughout the global economy. These macroeconomic findings are important inputs to business and policy circles.
Q: What makes technology transfer happen? Is it entrepreneurial opportunity in the home country, a loyalty to the home country, or government policies that encourage or require people to come home?
A: It's all of those. Surveys of these diasporic communities suggest they aid their home countries through both formal business relationships and informal contacts. Formal mechanisms run the spectrum from direct financial investment in overseas businesses that pursue technology opportunities to facilitating contracts and market awareness. Informal contacts are more frequent�the evidence we have suggests they are at least twice as common�and even more diverse in nature. Ongoing research will allow us to better distinguish these channels. A Beijing scholar we met on the trip, Henry Wang, and I are currently surveying a large population of Chinese entrepreneurs to paint a more comprehensive picture of the micro-underpinnings of this phenomena.
Q: What about multinational corporations? How do they fit into this scenario?
A: One of the strongest trends of globalization is that U.S. multinationals are placing larger shares of their R&D into foreign countries. About 5 percent of U.S.-sponsored R&D was done in foreign countries in the 1980s, and that number is around 15 percent today. We visited Microsoft's R&D center in Beijing to learn more about its R&D efforts and interactions with the U.S. parent. This facility was founded in the late 1990s, and it has already grown to house a third of Microsoft's basic-science R&D researchers. More broadly, HBS assistant professor Fritz Foley and I are working on a research project that has found that U.S.-based ethnic scientists within multinationals like Microsoft help facilitate the operation of these foreign direct investment facilities in their home countries.
Q: Does your research have implications for U.S. policy?
A: One implication concerns immigration levels. It is interesting to note that while immigrants account for about 15 percent of the U.S. working population, they account for almost half of our Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers. Even within the Ph.D. ranks, foreign-born individuals have a disproportionate number of Nobel Prizes, elections to the National Academy of Sciences, patent citations, and so forth. They are a very strong contributor to U.S. technology development, so it is in the United States' interest to attract and retain this highly skilled group. It is one of the easiest policy levers we have to influence our nation's rate of innovation.
Q: Are countries that send their scholars to the United States losing their best and brightest?
A: My research shows that having these immigrant scientists, entrepreneurs, and engineers in the United States helps facilitate faster technology transfer from the United States, which in turn aids economic growth and development. This is certainly a positive benefit diasporas bring to their home countries. It is important to note, however, that a number of factors should be considered in the "brain drain" versus "brain gain" debate, for which I do not think there is a clear answer today.
Q: Where does China stand in relation to some of the classic tiger economies that we've seen in the past in terms of technology transfer?
A: Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and similar smaller economies have achieved a full transition from agriculture-based economies to industrialized economies. In those situations, technology transfer increases labor productivity and wages directly. The interesting thing about China and also India is that about half of their populations are still employed in the agricultural sector. In this scenario, technology transfer may lead to faster sector reallocation�workers moving from agriculture to industry�which can weaken wage growth compared with the classic tiger economy example. This is an interesting dynamic we see in China today.
Q: The export growth that technology may engender is only one prong of the mechanism that helps economic development. Does technology also make purely domestic industries more productive?
A: Absolutely. My research shows that countries do increase their exports in industries that receive large technology infusions, but non-exporting industries also benefit from technology gains. Moreover, the technology transfer can raise wages in sectors that do not rely on technology to the extent there is labor mobility across sectors. A hairdresser in the United States, for example, makes more money than a hairdresser in China, and that is due in large part to the wage equilibrium that occurs across occupations and skill categories within an economy. Technology transfer may alter the wage premiums assigned to certain skill sets, for example, increasing the wage gaps between skilled and unskilled workers, but the wage shifts can feed across sectors through labor mobility.
Q: What are the implications for the future?
A: Historically, the United States has been very successful at the retention of foreign-born, Ph.D.-level scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs. As China and India continue to develop, they will become more attractive places to live and to start companies. The returnee pattern may accelerate as foreign infrastructures become more developed for entrepreneurship. This is not going to happen over the next three years, but it is quite likely over the next thirty to fifty years. My current research is exploring how this reverse migration would impact the United States' rate of progress.
About the author
Michael Roberts is a senior lecturer in the Entrepreneurial Management unit at Harvard Business School.
