It is a good start, but here is another good idea to the lawmakers.<p>How about automatic Green Card to any H-1B holder that has been working in the US for more than 5 years.<p>1. To get a H-1B there is a prevailing wage that the employer has to pay. Enforce that well to avoid body shops type of miss usage.<p>2. If you were continuously paid that prevailing wage, that means that there is need for that skill your bring.<p>5th year the green card should be in the mail. I bet a lot of current H-1B holders are itching to start a startup, but they just can't easily walk away from jobs, or their statuses will be jeopardized.<p>I have to remember the HN community that there is a lot of good talent that are holding H-1Bs. Many of them went to US universities and transitioned from F-1 to H-1B. By the fifth year of employment they will reach 27, a good age to start something yours.<p>But unfortunately a lot of H-1B holders have to wait for years, and go through massive bureaucratic procedures to convert to a GC.
Only lawyers and large employers profit from the current status.<p>When mobility of employers is restricted by artificial means, the economy and public in general looses some, while only few actors win/make a profit out of it.<p>Continuous employment for 5 years with good salaries is a good balance to show that there is a need for said foreigner.