Speech #890274753

There are other alternative possibilities. But what is vital is to focus far more effort on the neglected problem of the effective use of talent and skills. one of the most difficult and crucial that developing countries face. Finally. we should look into the possibility of negotiating bilateral agreements with developing countries severely affected by the brain drain. to modify the effect of our visa and immigration policies. This is an area where we must tread with extreme care. As one who cosponsored the bill to end our national origins quota system. I would not want us to violate in any way the spirit of the new immigration act. Yet the increased emphasis on the skills of the immigrant. regardless of his origin. clearly exacerbates the brain drain problem. And already we are seeing its effects. In fiscal year 1965. under the old law. 54 Indian immigrants came to this country under the preference category for professional and technical workers and their families. In that same year. 51 such immigrants came from Korea. But with the reallocation of unused quota numbers provided by the new law 1.750 Indians in this category. more than 32 times as many. were admitted 1 year later. together with 400 Koreans under the same classification. There is also the related problem of adjustment of visa status. We have already seen that. of the thousands of Asians who come here to study under student "Fvisas." about 30 percent change their status to that of permanent resident. And I am told that the new law makes it easier for students to do so. by making it unnecessary for them to gain endorsement of university authorities when they apply. Because of the severity of these particular problems. combined with the importance of maintaining the general provisions of our immigration law. I think we should explore the chances for bilateral agreements with particular developing countries to deal with the problems as they arise in each national case. Such agreements might provide that all students coming here from a particular country enter on exchange visitor visas. which provide that the visitor return to his homeland for 2 years before becoming eligible to apply for permanent Immigration. Such agreements might establish a mechanism for considering the needs of a particular developing country in our immigration policy. as well as our own needs. It might be possible to set up some sort of binational "immigration review panel" to consider individual cases. Also. the United States might commit itself to honor restrictions on passports issued by the developing country. designed to make them invalid for immigration purposes. Any such bilateral agreement. I believe. should provide that the developing country take specific. concrete steps to remove root causes of the brain drain by increasing opportunities for talented individuals. We cannot pretend that such agreements would involve no restrictions on the freedom of the individual who wishes to come to our shores. Yet no one is advocating today an open American immigration policy. the question is rather who shall be admitted. and who shall be kept out. We have determined. as one basic principle. to place high priority on our need for skilled people. I feel that it is essential to find some way to consider another principle. the manpower needs of countries whose development is a goal of our national policy.