Wichitan Heading to Washington for H-1B Visa Discussion
Date: July 9, 2012
Witchita Business Journal
July 6, 2012
Wichita’s efforts to develop a highly skilled engineering work force are catching the attention of the Brookings Institution, which has invited Keith Lawing, executive director of the Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas, to speak at a panel discussion later this month.
The Brookings event, on July 18 in Washington, D.C., is about the H-1B visa program, the geographic areas where it’s having an effect and the question of whether it’s meeting the needs of local labor markets.
According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, employers use the H-1B visa program to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require expertise in fields like science, engineering and computer programming. The idea is that employers can turn to the program if they’re unable to find workers in the United States with the right skills.