Current Immigration standards versus Merit Based Immigration System

We have both systems in America. So I dont see why the right-wing talking heads make it seem like we dont.

a reply to: Pyle

Why do we need both?

Aside from the merit basis, I think the other piece is self-sufficiency. The US cannot indefinitely allow immigration of persons who immediately go on the welfare rolls when they arrive, then make no effort to get off them or assimilate. That is one of the big draws to the US...come with nothing, you and yours will be taken care of for life; food, shelter, phones, tvs, etc.

Add on the fact that every immigrant is a potential competitor for a US job (those that want to try), and it exacerbates the problem of US citizen unemployment.

Once all American citizens (who want to be) are employed, and once US taxpayers aren’t expected to take care of all indigent non-US citizens in the world who manage to make it to US shores, then maybe we can have a discussion about how we’re going to fit the world population within the borders of the US.

When the huddled masses poem was posted, almost all immigrants wanted to legitimately try (which is why second/third generation off spring of those immigrants seem to do okay). Now, not so much and the American populace should not be on the hook for never ending support. If we could bill their countries of origin for their support maybe we could look at it differently.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: AMPTAH

What do you think MLK thought it meant?

The nature of my mind is such, that I see multiple universes everywhere.

Nothing has a single interpretation.

I usually pick one for discussion.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Pyle

Why do we need both?

It is the American way. All people have a chance to come here. It has been that way since the colonies.

originally posted by: toysforadults
a reply to: DBCowboy

If you have a degree in chemical engineering from a Nigerian University no one in chemical engineering in the US is going to recognize the merit of the degree.

Not sure why that is happening but it's happening.

it happens because they can not be sure of the standards being taught in other countries. i know one dentist who immigrated, it took him several years to become licenced. because the fact is, the country where he came from, had crappy standards and methods compared to North America. in short his degrees, training and skills did not measure up to the skills in North America. in fact a country's standards for professional and especially medical professionals are actually ranked within their respective communities. a doctor or nurse degree from a place like Canada for instance is considered pretty much equal to the same in the US. yet someone with the same degree from another country such as a poor developing nation, may need to go back to school to attain the training and standards that are needed. since they are not trained in their home country to standards needed. and this can change as the education standards in their home country change, and their standards and training become equal to the standards in say the US or Canada. i have a friend for example who has had several family members from Canada trained in the Philippines. one went back a couple years back and needed to do upgrade courses and pass extra exams in order to be allowed to practice medicine in Canada. but another one who has just finished his training, if he goes to Canada in a year or two will just have to pass the normal tests all doctors in Canada must pass. this is due to the medical training standards becoming equal with Canada. and thus accepted by the medical authority in Canada.

seriously there can be some major differences between standards for anything in different countries. take a welder for instance. in Canada or the US a welder wears special safety equipment when they work. this is just normal standards. a leather jacket, heavy pants, safety glasses, darkened face shield, heavy leather gloves, safety boots and if on a construction site, a helmet. and this applies to everyone involved or close to the work. special screens may also be put up to protect other workers not wearing eye protection near by. all of this is to protect the workers from burns and their eyesight. now take a typical welder in the Philippines. they wear flip flops or no footwear. they may be wearing a t-shirt, or they might not. they are likely wearing shorts. the welder may be wearing sunglasses or have a piece of tinted glass mounted on cardboard to hold in front of their eyes, or may not be wearing any eyewear at all. those involved in the work or working nearby. are dressed pretty much the same, minus wearing any eyewear. my dad was involved in a construction project years ago, and the American in charge was freaked out about the lack of safety on the worksite. and actually bought safety boots for the work crew. they still wore their flip flops at work. and wore the boots as fancy shoes for church or special occasions. and you could not convince them to wear the safety boots on the construction site. that is the type of difference in standards that can be found in professions between countries.

I'm leaning towards a merit-based system only because when we were allowing everyone in, we were primarily an agricultural-based system.

Now with our economic system geared more towards manufacturing and jobs are more scarce, we need to change our approach.