August 2, 2012 -

"Count high-skilled immigration reform and foreign worker visa reform measures among the unfinished work of Congress before recess. 

"...'Even if they don't move forward this election year, they are still important markers for the 113th Congress," said Rebecca Peters, director and counsel for legislative affairs for the American Council on International Personnel.

No link available.

CQToday, July 30, 2012 –

“The high-tech visa legislation that House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith has been working on for months . . . has yet to be introduced, had been eagerly anticipated by technology and immigration groups who considered it the last best hope for significant immigration legislation in the 112th Congress.  If the negotiations are not resumed, Smith and House leaders could introduce the measure anyway – even though it does not stand a chance – or drop the idea until a window of opportunity opens again.

“Smith had previously expressed confidence that his committee could mark up the legislation before the August recess.  But the Texas Republican struck a more tempered tone in a brief July 26 interview.

“...‘We are talking to all the interested parties as we speak, and we are still optimistic,” he said.  ‘I don’t know whether [the bill introduction] will be next week or not.’

No link available.

CQ Today Online News, July 6, 2012 –

“House Republicans intend to push legislation this month that would offer 55,000 additional green cards each year to foreign graduates of American universities in high-tech fields.

“The measure, which could be introduced as early as this week, would take visas currently awarded via lottery and allocate them to those graduates.

“…Employers say there aren’t enough American graduates in high-tech fields to meet the demand. Roughly half of the U.S. graduates with advanced degrees in the “STEM” fields — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — are foreign, said Lynn Shotwell, executive director of the American Council on International Personnel, which represents employers.”

Boston Globe, May 28, 2012 -

"A surge in demand for special visas that companies use to bring highly skilled workers to the United States could indicate waves of new hiring.

"...'I think it’s a sign that the economy is improving overall,' said Lynn Shotwell, executive director of the American Council on International Personnel, which represents companies that hire foreign workers. Shotwell said that while the US jobless rate remains high, 'there’s a skills mismatch between the jobs that are available and the skills people have.'"