June 7, 2022

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The Honorable Sherrod Brown

The Honorable Rob Portman

United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

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Dear Senator Brown and Senator Portman:

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As a coalition of more than 80 Ohio businesses, trade associations, chambers of commerce, and economic development groups that believe modernizing our immigration system is critically important for the growth of the state’s economy, we respectfully urge you to support retaining two critically important immigration provisions during your deliberations as a member of the conference committee on the America COMPETES Act of 2022. The provisions, included in the House-passed America COMPETES Act, include:

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• Exempting immigrants with PhDs in STEM fields from annual green card limits, allowing them an opportunity to obtain permanent residence in the United States without being subject to the green card backlog or per-country caps. 

• Establishment of a “W” Start-Up visa status for international entrepreneurs and essential employees affiliated with the management or operations of a start-up entity.
   

For our state economy to grow and compete, Ohio needs a robust workforce and policies that prioritize attracting and retaining talent. However, as you likely hear time and time again, workforce shortages are the number one issue facing Ohio’s business community. Many of our members cannot find employees to hire, and without a viable solution, they face grave outcomes. 

 

With nearly 91,500 open STEM jobs in Ohio — representing nearly 14 open jobs for every one unemployed STEM worker in the Buckeye state —we believe that exempting foreign-born PhDs in STEM fields will have an immediate positive impact and allow skilled workers to bring their expertise to Ohio and keep it here. Immigrants are already playing a crucial role in Ohio’s STEM sector. According to research from the American Immigration Council, while immigrants make up nearly 5% of the state’s population, they account for nearly 13% of all STEM-related workers in Ohio. Alleviating green card restrictions for international individuals with STEM-related PhDs will directly increase Ohio’s national and international competitiveness. Passage of this provision will also result in reducing green card backlogs, helping to keep current immigrants employed, and adding to Ohio’s eligible workforce. 

 

The creation of the “W” visa classification will allow countless immigrant entrepreneurs to call Ohio home, boosting revenue and creating jobs for all Ohioans. The United States Department of Homeland Security estimates that nearly 3,000 entrepreneurs would be eligible for this proposed visa classification annually. Ohio is already home to more than 29,000 immigrant entrepreneurs, whose total business income contributes $894 million to the state economy annually.  This visa classification will allow current business owners to stay here, new business owners to come here, and grow communities across Ohio with every new immigrant entrepreneur that opens the doors to their new business and creates new jobs.

 

The members of Ohio Business for Immigration Solutions believe that immigration is not a partisan issue but an economic one. As you continue to debate the final version of the America COMPETES Act, we ask that you preserve the House-passed immigration provisions related to immigrants with PhDs in STEM fields and the creation of a “W” Start-Up visa to help alleviate the workforce issues that Ohio’s business community faces daily. 

 

Sincerely,

Ohio Business for Immigration Solutions

December 10, 2021

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Ohio Congressional Delegation

United States Capitol

Washington, D.C.

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Dear Honorable Ohio Congressional Delegation Members,

 

Ohio Business for Immigration Solutions (OBIS) formally launched on December 10th of last year as the voice of Ohio’s business community working to promote common sense immigration reforms that will strengthen the economy, attract and retain global talent, and bring new businesses to the Buckeye state.

 

Since then, OBIS has tripled in size to now include nearly 70 Ohio businesses, trade associations, chambers of commerce, and economic development groups spanning every region of the state. It is clear: Ohio’s job creators care about immigration and the positive economic impact it brings to our state.

 

OBIS adopted several critical, yet straightforward, policy priorities to support our business community and assist with alleviating the state’s critical workforce shortage. Many of our members cannot find employees to hire, and without a viable alternative, their businesses face grave outcomes.

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As the voice of Ohio’s business community on immigration policies, we urge you to:    

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• Support key workforce-related changes to visa programs by:

  • Streamlining employment-based visa backlogs, reducing the backlog for foreign born professionals, and allowing temporary workers to remain in the U.S. if caught in a backlog;

  • Shortening lengthy wait times and unnecessary hurdles for visa applicants;

  • Increasing work visa quotas for foreign workers to reflect current skills gaps and recapturing any unused visas;

  • Reforming the H-2 visa program to include year-round workers in high-demand industries such as hospitality, agriculture, and construction; and,

  • Making it easier for graduates of U.S. universities with advanced STEM degrees to stay and work in the U.S., specifically in Ohio.

• Reform the green card system to meet the needs of Ohio’s business community by:

  • Improving access to green cards for in-demand sector employees, including recapturing previously unused green cards, increasing annual limits, and eliminating per-county cap limitations; and,

  • Exempting family members from being counted towards individual green card numbers.    

  

Ohio’s business leaders believe that these commonsense reforms will allow Ohio’s workforce to grow and meet the demands of a 21st century economy. The reforms will also result in an increase to the number of high-skilled immigrants who already support Ohio’s workforce in a variety of essential and cutting-edge industries. For example, in 2019, immigrants made up just under 5% of the state’s population but accounted for 24.7% of physicians, 23.4% of software developers, and 12.9% of  STEM workers in the state according to data from New American Economy. As Ohio lags behind many other states in growth, modernizing our immigration system can assist with attracting and retaining global talent to our state.

 

Immigration is not a partisan issue but an economic one. As Congress continues to debate immigration reform, please consider OBIS as a resource to help better understand the importance of immigrants in Ohio and the need for a reasonable and responsive immigration system that will allow Ohio to compete globally.

 
Sincerely,

 

Ohio Business for Immigration Solutions

 December 10, 2021

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Ohio General Assembly

Washington, D.C.

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Dear Ohio General Assembly Member,

 

As a statewide coalition of nearly 70 Ohio businesses, trade associations, chambers of commerce, and economic development groups, Ohio Business for Immigration Solutions (OBIS) works to promote common-sense immigration reforms that will strengthen our economy, grow our workforce, and bring new businesses to the Buckeye state. OBIS formally launched on December 10th of last year as the voice of Ohio’s business community, and since then, has tripled in size and now represents members from every region of the state. It is clear: Ohio’s job creators care about immigration and the positive economic impact it brings to our state.      

 

For our state’s economy to grow and compete, Ohio needs a robust workforce and policies that prioritize attracting and retaining talent. However, as you likely hear time and time again, labor shortages are the number one issue facing Ohio’s business community. Many of our members cannot find employees to hire, and without a viable alternative, their businesses face grave outcomes.

 

Fortunately, Ohio is home to many international students who have, and can, join our workforce and revitalize our economy. Data from New American Economy (NAE) shows that in 2019, there were 35,508 international students in Ohio and they supported 12,646 jobs throughout our state. At a time when our businesses face a shortage of not only workers, but specifically licensed professionals, OBIS believes that policy makers in Ohio should encourage highly trained international students to remain in our state after graduation by implementing policies that allow international students to utilize their practical experience, both in the workforce and in the classroom, towards licensure obtainment. This will ultimately provide Ohio with a greater number of experienced professionals to fill existing job vacancies and stabilize our workforce. 

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Adopting policies that encourage the retention of international students will grow the already robust number of highly skilled immigrants that are currently working in Ohio. For example, NAE data shows that while immigrants made up just under 5% of the state’s population in 2019,  they made up:

• 24.7% of all physicians

• 23.4% of software developers

• 23.1% of postsecondary teachers

• 12.9% of STEM workers (science, technology, engineering, math)

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Our coalition also supports examining in-demand jobs that require licensure, and working to reduce barriers for immigrants from entering those fields. Many of Ohio’s current occupational licensing and reciprocity practices act as roadblocks to a robust workforce. Removing unnecessary and bureaucratic obstacles will reduce brain waste, or the underemployment or unemployment of internationally trained professionals, in Ohio. When licensing boards do not recognize prior education, credentials, or experience of immigrants in their native country, many professionals are often forced to start over with their education and training or work in a lower skilled job, leading to losses for the immigrants themselves, employers, and their communities. Streamlining and reducing barriers for highly trained and experienced immigrants will allow employers to fill workforce gaps in critical industries such as healthcare, engineering, and technology. This would further increase the economic impact of immigrants in Ohio and grow our economy. Ohio’s  immigrants contribute $6 billion in taxes, including $2 billion in state and local taxes, and hold $15.1 billion spending power that can be reinvested in local communities.

 

The members of OBIS  believe that immigration reform is not a partisan issue, but an economic one. As you continue to debate policies to alleviate our state’s workforce crisis, particularly as it relates to occupational licensing reform and attracting and retaining international students, we urge you to implement our common-sense policy recommendations.

 
Sincerely,

Ohio Business for Immigration Solutions  

 November 18, 2021

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Ohio Congressional Delegation

United States Capitol

Washington, D.C.

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Dear Senators and Congressmen:

 

As a coalition of 60 Ohio businesses, trade associations, chambers of commerce, and economic development groups that believe modernizing our immigration system is critically important for the growth of the state's economy, we respectfully urge the Ohio Congressional Delegation to support language to recapture unused employment-based green cards contained in HR-5376, the Build Back Better Act.

 

For our state economy to grow and compete, Ohio needs a robust workforce and policies that prioritize attracting and retaining talent. However, as you likely hear time and time again, workforce shortages are the number one issue facing Ohio’s business community. Many of our members cannot find employees to hire, and without a viable alternative, they face grave outcomes. We believe that recapturing unused employment-based green cards is one tool to help address our state’s workforce crisis as it will create a new pool of workers for Ohio’s businesses and in turn, help revitalize our economy.

 

The Build Back Better Act does not raise the number of green cards issued overall but rather recaptures green cards previously issued, and subsequently unused, since 1992. The recaptured green cards would be available for employment-based applicants currently waiting in the backlog for at least two years and require the applicants to pay a $5,000 supplemental fee. Additional green cards would also be available to family-based applicants who have been waiting for at least two years and require applicants to pay a $2,500 fee. Passage of this provision would also result in reducing green card backlogs, helping to keep current immigrants employed, and adding to Ohio’s eligible workforce.

 

The individuals eligible for the recaptured green cards are currently contributing to Ohio’s economy.  Data from New American Economy (NAE) shows that many of the eligible individuals are already filling positions vital to our economy; immigrants currently account for nearly 25% of physicians and 23% of all software positions in Ohio.  Attracting and retaining skilled, global talent is crucial for the future of our economy and workforce.

 

The members of OBIS believe that immigration is not a partisan issue but an economic one. As you continue to debate the language included in the Build Back Better Act, we ask that you preserve the employment-based green card recapture reforms.

 
Sincerely,

Ohio Business for Immigration Solutions  

December 10, 2020

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Ohio Congressional Delegation

United States Capitol

Washington, D.C.

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Dear Honorable Ohio Congressional Delegation Members,

 

We are excited to share with you the news that Ohio Business for Immigration Solutions (OBIS) officially launched today! OBIS is a statewide coalition of chambers of commerce, trade associations, and individual businesses spanning all corners of the state focused on promoting responsible and common-sense immigration reform that strengthen our economy.

 

Over the past decade, immigrants have played a critical role in stabilizing Ohio’s population growth, revitalizing business corridors and boosting our state’s economy. Immigrants employ over 124,500 Ohioans, make up 13% of all STEM jobs and have paid $5.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes, and reinjected a combined spending power of $14 billion into our economy in 2018 alone. 

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has only brought the role of immigrants in Ohio into sharper focus. New Americans fill vital roles in our response efforts — helping maintain our food supply pipeline, meet our healthcare needs, and sustain our educational system — and will play a critical role in Ohio’s recovery. As policymakers continue to navigate the response to this crisis, it is imperative that no Ohioans are left behind. Our immigration system must ensure that immigrants can continue to thrive in the years to come, further strengthening Ohio’s economy and recovery. 

 

Members of OBIS are committed to advancing immigration reforms at the local, state and federal levels, and are guided by the Ohio Compact on Immigration, a set of principles developed by OBIS members that seek to: strengthen our economy, attract and retain global talent, and bring new businesses to our state. We also believe in a data-driven approach to decision making, and to that end we are powered by the economic research of New American Economy (NAE), a bi-partisan research and advocacy organization.

 

Ohio’s businesses need immigration policies at the federal level that allow for more New Americans to further contribute to Ohio’s economy. These policies must be responsive to the needs of Ohio employers across the state, of every size and industry.  

 

“We have joined Ohio Business for Immigration Solutions because we know that immigration brings innovative, talented workers to Ohio,” said Alex Fischer, president and CEO, Columbus Partnership. “We must pursue immigration policies that meet the needs of the Columbus Region and its many growing employers." 

 

“Our primary focus at the Chamber is to drive economic growth and prosperity for Greater Akron by supporting the success of the business community,” said Steve Millard, President & CEO of the Greater Akron Chamber. “The history of Greater Akron is intertwined with the economic benefit of immigration – from the European, southern and Appalachian immigrants that made Akron one of America’s fastest growing cities in the early 20th century to a growing Nepalese community today, the success of our economy relies on continuing to inject and include new talent, energy and ideas from people that come to, and stay in, Greater Akron.”

 

“The members of the Ohio Grocers Association perform critical work ensuring that Ohioans have access to a safe and secure food supply. Immigrants play a vital role in this work,” said Kristin Mullins, President and CEO of the Ohio Grocers Association. “We joined Ohio Business for Immigration Solutions to advocate for policies that strengthen Ohio’s food supply chain workforce.”

 

“Our membership is uniquely positioned to realize the impact of immigration on Ohio’s economy,” said Scott R. Williams, CEO, Ohio REALTORS. “Immigration has helped grow communities around our state, and REALTORS have been there to assist them in finding homes for their families. We joined Ohio Business for Immigration Solutions because we need immigration policies that allow more new Americans to put down roots in Ohio.”

  

The members of OBIS believe that immigration is not a partisan issue but an economic one. As the new Congress and federal Administration begin important work ahead, we would like to extend our offer to be a resource to help you better understand the importance of immigrants in our state and the need for a reasonable and responsive immigration system that will allow Ohio’s businesses and our economy to grow.

 
Warm Regards,

Ohio Business for Immigration Solutions 

Opinion: This is how we put Ohio on the cutting edge

Cincinnati Enquirer

Authored by Eddie Pauline, President and CEO of BioOhio, OBIS Coalition Member

July 21, 2022

VOICES: My industry is withering; immigrants can help us flourish again

Dayton Daily News

Authored by Molly John, President of the Ohio Green Industry Association, OBIS Coalition Member

July 8, 2022

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VOICES: Immigrants will help Ohio businesses ride out the 'Big Quit' 

Dayton Daily News

Authored by Stephanie Keinath, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives of Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, OBIS Coalition Member 
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Workforce shortages are crushing Ohio’s restaurant industry. Immigration reform can help

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Authored by Tod Bowen, Managing Director of External Affairs and Government Relations of the Ohio Restaurant Association, OBIS Coalition Member

March 9, 2022

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VOICES: Highly skilled immigrants augment Ohio’s technology workforce

Dayton Daily News

Authored by Naveed H. Iqbal, Founder & CEO of Dolr, OBIS Coalition Member
January 4, 2022

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Hiring immigrants, workers from around globe key to solving labor shortage problem in Ohio

The Columbus Dispatch

Authored by Steve Stivers, President and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, OBIS Coalition Member

December 10, 2021

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Opinion: Immigrants could play key role in economic recovery in Cleveland, the heartland

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Authored by Joe Cimperman, President of Global Cleveland, OBIS Coalition Member
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Viewpoint: Immigration reform can help fix workforce shortages by attracting global talent

Columbus Business First 

Authored by Don DePerro, President and CEO of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, OBIS Coalition Member
May 27, 2021