Yesterday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order reiterating the Administration’s policy to buy American and hire American. The ‘Hire American’ side of the Executive Order directs federal agencies to evaluate the various programs that allow foreign workers to enter the United States, with a particular focus on the H-1B visa program. The following statement can be attributed to Engine Executive Director, Evan Engstrom:
“The startup ecosystem is a major driver of growth in the American economy—creating an average of 1.5 million jobs per year over the past three decades and accounting for nearly all net new job growth. If President Trump’s priority is to strengthen economic growth, it is critical that he espouse policies that help startups to grow and thrive. One key component of this is making it easier for global tech talent to both work and build tech companies in the U.S. Engine strongly supports the H-1B program, which startups depend on to hire the skilled talent that they need. We applaud efforts to curb abuses of the system to ensure that these incredibly high-demand visas go to the most talented and deserving candidates. As the Administration pursues its efforts to review and reform the H-1B program, it is essential that they take into account the economic realities of the startup ecosystem and work to craft reform policies that do not inadvertently make it harder for startups to hire the talented workers they need. Engine looks forward to continued engagement with the Administration and Congress on this topic.”
Photo courtesy of the White House.
