Thursday, November 20, 2003

U.S. DEPENDENCY ON FOREIGN SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS

From a recent e-mail from the NSF:

“According to the National Science Foundation's (NSF) figures
derived from the 1990 Census estimates of foreign-born workers in
1999 holding bachelor's degrees represented 11 percent of the
total population in S&E-classified occupations. Foreign-born
individuals with master's degrees held 19 percent of the S&E
occupations held by master's recipients overall. Foreign-born
Ph.D.s represented 29 percent of those positions.

“The 2000 Census figures, however, allowed for the first time a
sampling that takes into account foreign workers holding degrees
obtained in countries outside the United States. When factored
in, the estimated proportions of foreign-born workers in S&E
occupations in 1999 rose between six and 10 percent per category.
Foreign-born workers with bachelor's degrees actually represented
17 percent of the total in S&E positions held by people with
bachelor's degrees. The foreign-born proportion went up to 29
percent among those with master's degrees, and 38 percent among
doctorate holders. NSF analysts point out that during the 1990s,
there was a large influx of foreign-born scientists and engineers
across most fields.”

“NSB members also reported that from 2001 to 2002, H-1B visas for
foreign workers in science, engineering and technology-related
fields declined sharply from about 166,000 to around 74,000.”

No comments: