????縱觀歷史，第一代美國人（父母為移民，本人出生在美國的公民——譯注）創(chuàng)立了很多大型的美國企業(yè)，成績驕人。其中就有：英特爾（Intel）、谷歌（Google）和eBay等知名大企業(yè)。

????現(xiàn)如今，隨著對美國移民政策改革的討論繼續(xù)，美國是否應(yīng)當(dāng)效法加拿大值得探討。4月1日，美國的北方鄰國加拿大推出了一項(xiàng)新的簽證計(jì)劃，希望能吸引全球最優(yōu)秀、最聰明的創(chuàng)業(yè)者。這項(xiàng)計(jì)劃與近年來澳大利亞、智利、英國等國新推出或重新修訂的創(chuàng)業(yè)簽證計(jì)劃類似。主要區(qū)別在于：與大多數(shù)國家讓參與者等待幾年，以確定其創(chuàng)業(yè)企業(yè)能夠創(chuàng)造多少工作崗位不同，加拿大的新簽證計(jì)劃從一開始就給予申請者永久居住權(quán)。

????巧合的是，這個計(jì)劃推出的當(dāng)天，美國也開啟了外國技術(shù)工人的簽證申請季。不同于金融危機(jī)以來的前幾年，H-1B簽證（美國移民局簽發(fā)給受美國公司雇用的從事專業(yè)職位的外籍人士的短期非移民工作簽證——譯注）申請大幅增加。這是美國經(jīng)濟(jì)狀況改善的反映，也是渴望前往美國生活和工作的外籍人才創(chuàng)業(yè)精神的體現(xiàn)。

????很多人預(yù)計(jì)，今年H-1B簽證的配額4月5日就會用盡。這很遺憾，因?yàn)楦喙蛡蚧蛟S能刺激更廣闊經(jīng)濟(jì)領(lǐng)域中的其他就業(yè)。

????誠然，艾奧瓦州共和黨參議員查克?格拉斯利、伊利諾伊州民主黨參議員理查德?德賓和其他人都擔(dān)憂美國的簽證政策。他們的問題是，外國工人是否將取代合格的美國人。但科技行業(yè)中的很多人認(rèn)為，美國沒有足夠的工程師和編程人員等類似人員來滿足美國的用工需求——科技業(yè)是移民辯論中最重要的一支影響力量。

????今年1月份，一些議員們提出了一項(xiàng)議案，希望將技術(shù)工人的H-1B簽證限額從每年65,000張?jiān)鲋?15,000張，甚至可能提高到每年300,000張。如果獲得批準(zhǔn)，這項(xiàng)法案將幫助很多外國技術(shù)工人留在美國，但還是不能阻止他們最終返回到自己的國家，或者到其他地方創(chuàng)辦公司（同時創(chuàng)造就業(yè)）。

????根據(jù)加拿大新的創(chuàng)業(yè)簽證計(jì)劃，外國創(chuàng)業(yè)者需要從投資者那里獲得75,000美元的投資才能獲得加拿大簽證。美國曾提議推行一項(xiàng)類似的計(jì)劃，但這個想法尚未付諸實(shí)施。最近一次嘗試是在2月份，一些議員起草了《初創(chuàng)企業(yè)法》，擬給予那些為新公司籌集了100,000萬美元的創(chuàng)始人們發(fā)放簽證。這些企業(yè)必須在成立一年內(nèi)至少聘請2名員工，之后三年須聘請至少5名員工。

????這項(xiàng)議案的結(jié)局還有待觀察。去年5月，議員們對于一項(xiàng)類似的法案《初創(chuàng)法案2.0》（Startup Act 2.0）并不是特別感興趣。當(dāng)然，如今美國國會面臨更龐大復(fù)雜的全面移民改革問題。

????“眼下的問題是，《創(chuàng)業(yè)法案》會成為討論的一部分嗎？”華盛頓智庫布魯金斯學(xué)會（Brookings Institution）負(fù)責(zé)評估美國移民政策的高級研究員奧德麗?辛格問道。

????辛格當(dāng)前正在撰寫一份有關(guān)聯(lián)邦政府EB-5計(jì)劃的研究報告，EB-5計(jì)劃面向的是那些能向美國公司至少投資500,000美元的外國人。如果他們的投資創(chuàng)造了至少10個工作崗位，他們就可以獲得永久性綠卡。辛格補(bǔ)充說，最近幾年對于EB-5簽證的需求正在上升。大部分的增長來自中國投資者——他們很多的財富積累來自于中國繁榮的房地產(chǎn)市場。這個趨勢在未來幾年可能仍然會得到延續(xù)，中國人將繼續(xù)把這些新獲得的財富用于投資。

????說到底，外國人有興趣在美國擴(kuò)大生意，這一點(diǎn)顯而易見。但問題是：美國是否愿意（或者更重要的是，是否能夠）與其他國家競爭？包括加拿大。（財富中文網(wǎng)）

????譯者：楊智

????Throughout history, first-generation Americans have had a solid track record of starting some of the biggest U.S. companies. To name a few: Intel (INTC), Google (GOOG), and eBay (EBAY).

????Now as debates over U.S. immigration policy reform continue, it's worth asking if the U.S should take Canada's lead. On Monday, our northern neighbor launched a new visa program designed to lure the best and the brightest entrepreneurs from around the world. It's similar to other start-up visas that have recently been created or revamped in places like Australia, Chile, and the U.K. The big difference is that unlike most countries that make participants wait a few years to see how many jobs their startups create, Canada's new visa grants permanent residency from the start.

????Coincidentally, the launch came the same day the U.S. kicked off application season for skilled-foreign worker visas. Unlike previous years since the financial crisis, petitions for H-1B visashave risen sharply. It's a sign of an improving economy but also a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of talented foreigners hungry to live and work in the U.S.

????Many expect the quota for H-1Bs will be exhausted for this year's application season by Friday. Which is a shame, given that more hiring would likely spur other jobs for the broader economy.

????To be sure, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and others worry about the U.S. visa program. They question whether foreign workers are displacing qualified Americans. But many in the tech industry -- one of the most powerful players in the immigration debate -- would argue that there aren't enough engineers, programmers, and the like to fill U.S. jobs.

????In January, lawmakers introduced a bill that would increase H-1B visas for skilled workers from a maximum of 65,000 to 115,000 a year, and possibly to as many as 300,000 a year. If passed, the bill would help keep many more skilled foreigners from leaving the U.S., but it would also fall short of keeping them from eventually returning home or potentially starting companies (and creating new jobs) elsewhere.

????Under Canada's new startup visa, foreign entrepreneurs would need to secure $75,000 from investors to enter the country. The U.S. has proposed a similar program, but the idea has yet to take off. The latest efforts came in February when lawmakers introduced the Startup Act, a bill that would issue visas to founders who raise $100,000 for new ventures that hire at least two employees within a year and at least five in the following three years.

????It remains to be seen where the bill goes: Last May, lawmakers weren't that excited about a similar bill, Startup Act 2.0. And of course, Congress faces the bigger monster of comprehensive immigration reform.

????"The question now is will the Startup Act be a part of the conversation?" asks Audrey Singer, senior fellow who evaluates U.S. immigration policy at Brookings Institution, a Washington D.C. think tank.

????Singer is currently working on a paper about the federal government's EB-5 program targeted to foreigners who can invest at least $500,000 in U.S.-based businesses. If their money creates at least 10 jobs, then they can receive a permanent green card. In recent years, there's been an uptick in demand for EB-5s, Singer adds. Much of the rise comes from Chinese investors -- many of whom have accumulated much of their wealth from China's booming real estate market. The trend is likely to continue in the coming years as the Chinese look to invest their newfound wealth.

????In the end, it's clear foreigners have an interest in doing more business in the U.S. The question is, however: Is America willing -- and more importantly, able -- to compete with the rest of the world? Canada included.