b'U.S. IMMIGRATION REFORM driven by a family-based approach, ratherskilled workers from abroad right now, butwe have a situation at the U.S.-Mexico than an employment-based one, despite allit will likely need even more of them onceborder thats demanding a lot of atten-the research that shows the huge economicthe post-COVID economic recovery takestion, Brown says. At the moment they benefits that come with the admissionhold, the BPC says. Canadas start-upjust dont have the bandwidth to dedicate of highly skilled immigrants into thevisa program and Australias entrepreneurto bigger picture thinking.U.S. workforce.visa program, which create easier ways for skilled professionals to enter those coun- Nonetheless, Brown adds that its impera-As far as the mobility industry istries, could provide useful models for U.S.tive that proponents of greater mobility concerned, Brown believes that for theimmigration reform.and business immigration in the U.S. time being the Biden administration willmake their voices heard both in Congress remain far more narrowly focused on theFor now, however, advocates of mean- and in the White House. The momentum immigration situation on the countrysingful change will probably have to wait astoward change is there. I think there will southern border than it will on the need tothe new administration deals with a hostbe opportunities under this administra-reform the countrys approach to employ- of challenges. Theyre heavily focusedtion to try to make change and influence ment-based immigration.on the response to COVID-19, on thechange. Its up to all the players to make Jobs Recovery Act, on infrastructureandtheir voices heard.LIMITED CHANGEBrown acknowledges that the U.S. Citizenship Act has the broadest legalization programs that weve ever seen introduced in legislation. She points to an increase in permanent resident visas, primarily by noHAVE YOUR SAYlonger counting the dependants of prin-cipal applicants towards the per-countryDo you think immigration reform in the U.S. is on the right track?immigration cap, and the removal of per- Or moving too slowly? country limitations targeted at particular countries. The act also adds 30,000 newCERC would love to hear your views on this important and evolving topic.immigrant visas a year for lesser skilledLet us know at perspectives@cerc.ca. Please include U.S. Immigrationworkers. That said, Brown believes thein the subject line.proposals fall short when it comes to a major realignment of the U.S. immigration system toward the idea of merit-based or employment-based immigration.It doubles down on our tradition of family-based migration and doesnt address the many issues that exist in our temporary worker programs, nor the pathway that can get somebody from temporary to permanent, Brown says. Those are largely missed opportunities for the administration, because I think thats where you can look for bipartisan-ship between the parties.In its February 2021 policy paper U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021: What It Does and Does Not Do for High-Skilled Immigration Reform, the BPC addresses parts of the legislation that dont do enough to make it easier for U.S. employers to find and retain high-skilled talent. Currently, a huge majority of employment-based permanent residency grants89 per cent in the last decadewere based on an adjustment of status for foreign workers already in the U.S., many of whom arrived on temporary visas. As the report puts it, reforming Americas permanent immigration system without addressing reforms to its temporary visas could be this bills major blind spot in reforming high-skilled immigration. Without such reform, the U.S. may be losing out in the race for high-skilled talent. The country not only needs more Summer 2021PERSPECTIVES17'