Speech #1090080454

The legislation includes protections to ensure that the system will not result in hiring discrimination based on race or national origin. nor will it interfere with the regular hiring process. Employers who use the system will receive a "safeharbor" from prosecution for hiring unauthorized workers. The Strengthening Americas Workforce Act of 2005 will amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to address the demand for foreign workers. The bill will provide foreign workers for lowskilled jobs that would otherwise go unfilled by admitting a limited number of workers annually through a new temporary worker program. Employers seeking to hire foreign workers through this program must first demonstrate that no qualified U.S. worker exists and that they will provide the same wage levels and working conditions as U.S. workers. Workers will be admitted for a limited period of time and will be allowed to change employers. Visas are good for 2 years and can be renewed. Qualified workers and their families would be provided an opportunity to adjust their immigration status over time. In order to address the need for hightech workers and to reduce the existing worker visa backlog. this legislation would allow foreign students who have earned an advanced degree in science. technology. engineering or math from U.S. universities to receive a HlB work visa without leaving the country and without regard to the annual cap of 65.000. In addition. hightech workers who have worked in the U.S. for three years may be allowed to adjust to permanent resident status without regard to the annual cap of 140.000. The spouses and children of immigrant workers would also be allowed to adjust status without regard to this cap. In order to encourage more foreign students to study in the U.S.. this legislation would give fulltime foreign college and graduate students the opportunity to work parttime while studying at U.S. universities. The fourth bill. the Immigrant Accountability Act of 2005. will amend the Immigration and Nationality Act in order to encourage those in the U.S. illegally to apply for legal status. The legislation would create an earned adjustment program for longterm undocumented Immigrants and provide an opportunity for illegal aliens and their families to become invested stakeholders in the country if they can demonstrate that they have met all of the following requirements: Passed national security and criminal background checks. Resided in the U.S. for at least 5 years preceding the date of introduction: Worked a minimum of 3 years in the U.S. preceding the date of introduction. and 6 years after introduction. Paid all Federal and State taxes.