SKIL Act House Companion Bill, H.R. 5744, Introduced in the House In May 2006, the Senator from Texas, John Cornyn introduced in the Senate so-called SKIL bill (Securing Knowledge Innovation and Leadership Act) to retain and encourage the foreign brightest workers in the United Sates. Now the CompteteAmerica reports that a companion bill with the idential name, H.R. 5744, was just introduced in the House. These Senate and House bills constitute the reform of the employment-based immigration system which remains part of the S. 2611, Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) bill. The fact that the House will work on this bill implies a couple of things: The sense of the Congress that the country cannot afford delaying any longer the employment-based immigration reform in order to prevent further damage from exodus, drain, and avoidance of the foreign brightest from choosing the U.S; and the strong sense of the Congress to separate the employment-based immigration reform from the comprehensive immigration reform which is currently hopelessly in limbo. Without doubt, the CIR sponsors and illegal immigration reform community will watch this move apprehensively. According to the CompeteAmerica, the House bill will bring the following benefits to the brightests: Exemptions for U.S. educated foreign workers with master's or higher degrees from the H-1B and EB green card quotas so their talent can be retained in the United States. Creation of a flexible, market-based H-1B cap so that U.S. employers are not locked out of hiring critical talent for over a year at a time. Extension of foreign students' post curricular optional practical training from 12 months to 24 months to allow them to transition more easily from student to green card. Exemptions for EB green card immigrant spouses and children from the annual cap, thus making more visas available for the innovative professionals we need. For the SKIL legislation, please read the following materials until the House bill is made available: CompeteAmerica Report http://www.competeamerica.org/news/alliance_pr/20060630_shadegg.html Senate Version of SKIL Bill http://www.immigration-law.com/Temporary%20File.html Section-by-Section Summary of SKIL Bill http://cornyn.senate.gov/doc_archive/05-02-2006_SKIL%20section%20by%20section%20_5-1_.pdf
