President Biden sign an executive order on artificial intelligence on Monday to make it easier for the United States to attract foreign AI talent and increase American competitiveness.
Here is a summary of the main proposals to reduce barriers to high-skilled immigration, with ideas from the Federation of American Scientistsa non-profit think tank.
Global AI Talent Attraction Program
The order directs the Department of State to establish a “Global AI Talent Attraction Program” to meet the growing demand for top AI researchers.
Updated J-1 Exchange Visitor Skills List
Update and expand the list of skills for D-1 exchange visitors to keep pace with changes in the global job market and fill skills gaps in areas like artificial intelligence.
Simplified visa renewal
The executive order will allow J-1 academic researchers and F-1 STEM visa students to renew their visas from within the United States, streamlining the process and reducing processing times for approximately 450,000 international students.
Modernized rules for H-1B visas
The order seeks to modernize H-1B visa rules, benefiting more than 500,000 H-1B visa holders by making it easier for foreign workers to change jobs and simplifying the renewal process.
Policy Manual Updates
The order modernizes pathways for experts in AI and emerging technologies, making visa criteria more inclusive and facilitating entry for startup founders.
Updated “Annex A”
“Appendix A” is a list of occupations for which the Department of Labor (DOL) has determined that there are insufficient U.S. workers to fill vacant positions. The decree aims to update the list, adding or removing professions to reflect changes in the labor market.
Streamlining visa services
This order makes it easier for workers in emerging technology fields to enter the United States by reducing processing times and ensuring continued availability of visa appointments.
For more information, the Federation of American Scientists has set up a detailed analysis.