The Case for Startup Visas

Call it what you will, an entrepreneurs’ visa, a startup visa, or something similar, but the case for creating something like that in the U.S. has never been stronger. Venture capitalist Brad Feld and I make the case in an OpEd in today’s Wall Street Journal. 

While there are many ways to approach the issue, we argue for two things. First, we want to make it easier for science & technology graduates to stay in the country and create companies. Second, we argue that the U.S. needs to drive job creation by opening up and making it easier for small, growing companies around the world to relocate to this country. Given the fundamental role that Kauffman research shows that young companies have on job creation, both would have be big steps towards creating a more entrepreneurial U.S. economy with more jobs.

Is this a quick fix? Of course not. It is one step, perhaps even a small step, toward a sustainable economic recovery in the U.S. But given this country’s entrepreneurial culture, and given the U.S.’s job creation needs, a step in this direction is timely and important.

Comments

[Bill Clelland]

I agree that true entrepreneurs from other countries should have an ability to start their businesses here as long as they have the means to do so. Canada started that many years ago with Asians that were concerned with the transfer of Hong Kong back to the Chinese government. This was in simplistic terms an invitation to bring their company and families to Canada but the caveat was that they also had to bring a minimum of $1M and stay for at least 5 years, start a business, and hire the local people where they located. Our country on the other hand told these people in Hong Kong they could come but they could only bring $10K per family member with no incentive for entrepreneurs at all. What does that say about our beaurocrats?
We do not need any more un-educated tired hungry masses from these countries, but we do need well educated and fully funded foreign investment. Do not fall into a trap of allowing these foreign students to take jobs that can be and should be filled by american citizens first.

[coach outlet]

Wow! I love this!*

[Air Jordan]

The African tragedy!