OODA Loop – Google Urges US to Update Immigration Rules to Attract More AI Talent / In

The US could miss out on valuable AI and technology talent if some of its immigration policies are not modernized, Google said in a letter to the Department of Labor. Google says policies like Schedule A, a list of professions that the government has “pre-certified” as not having enough U.S. workers, need to be more flexible and move faster to meet demand for technologies like AI and cybersecurity. The company says the government should update Schedule A to include AI and cybersecurity, and do so more regularly. “It is widely recognized that there is a global talent shortage in AI, but the fact remains that the US is one of the more difficult places to attract talent from abroad, and we are at risk of losing some of the most losing wanted people in the world. the world,” Karan Bhatia, head of government affairs and public policy at Google, told The Verge. He noted that the Schedule A appeals have not been updated in 20 years. Companies can apply for permanent residency, popularly known as green cards, for employees. The Department of Labor requires companies to obtain a permanent labor certification (PERM), which shows that there is a shortage of workers in that role. That process can take time, so the government has “pre-certified” some jobs through Schedule A. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services lists occupations on Schedule A, such as physical therapists, professional nurses or “immigrants with exceptional skills in the sciences or art’. While it won’t shorten the wait time for a green card, Google says Schedule A will reduce the processing time by about a year. Google says Schedule A “does not currently serve its intended purpose,” especially as demand for new technologies like generative AI has grown, so AI and cybersecurity should be included on the list. Google says the government should also consider multiple data sources, including accepting public feedback, to regularly update Schedule A so the process is more transparent and truly reflects workforce shortages.

Full report: In a letter to the Department of Labor, Google says a list of jobs considered scarce must include AI.