Paper on Skills-Based Immigration System

From the Immigration Policy Center:

Attracting the Best and the Brightest:
The Promise and Pitfalls of a Skill-Based Immigration Policy

by Kara Murphy

One question that recently received heightened attention from lawmakers is whether or not immigrants should be admitted to the United States less on the basis of family ties and more on the basis of the skills they can contribute to the U.S. economy. Today, the most common way permanent immigrants enter the United States legally is through sponsorship by a family member already in the country. By contrast, nations such as Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom admit immigrants primarily for employment reasons, based on a point system. Points are assigned on the basis of educational level, professional skills, proficiency in the host countrys language, and other qualities that increase immigrants likelihood of integrating into the host countrys labor market. Although some of the practices associated with a point-based immigration system might benefit the U.S. economy, policymakers should be careful not to assume that such a system would be a panacea for the widespread dysfunction of U.S. immigration policies.

Read a complete summary of the report here.

Read the entire report here.

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