Senators Kerry & Lugar Introduce the Startup Visa Act
201–210 of 225 posts
Re: Senators Kerry & Lugar Introduce the Startup Visa Act
#202This would just allow the rich and connected to choose thousands of people to budge to the front of a 3-5 year long line that other green gard applicants (EB-3) are waiting in. If there are resources available to process more EB-5's and EB-6's, then put them to use accelerating the process for the people that have already waited years for their applications to be approved. Accelerate that process and you'll accelerat…
That's such a dishonest way of describing the situation that it's hard to believe it wasn't deliberate. You describe this bill as if it merely allowed powerful people to get their friends into the country, and it's not like that at all. Startup investors are not identical with the rich and connected. Angel investors are generally fairly rich, but not all VCs are. And they're not choosing people at random to bring int…
I of course agree with you that the startup visa is a great idea, but I think Brian's other point is that US immigration as a whole is so fundamentally flawed that there are lots of areas that need large amounts of additional funding. This is a true political point, but there's not much we can do about it. As a political issue, the average American doesn't care about immigrants except for knowing that they want less of them.
I give you and startupvisa.com for actually taking a political issue to the point where one of the power-holding senators was willing to introduce legislation. And maybe if it comes to a vote while attached to the military funding bill or something it will pass! I don't think populists have enough power to speak out against the bill, so whether or not it passes probably comes down to random DC "inside baseball".
META: I ask that if you (anyone reading this) do not have something profoundly interesting to say that you not reply with any political discussion.
US immigration is so unbelievably messed up that there is little productive we can say. Like... there are actually networks of secret immigration prisons that lose people regularly. http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100104/stevens
Also see http://www.amnestyusa.org/uploads/JailedWithoutJustice.pdf but note that there is a much stronger political message.
Re: Senators Kerry & Lugar Introduce the Startup Visa Act
#203Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's such a dishonest way of describing the situation that it's hard to believe it wasn't deliberate. You describe this bill as if it merely allowed powerful people to get their friends into the country, and it's not like that at all. Startup investors are not identical with the rich and connected. Angel investors are generally fairly rich, but not all VCs are. And they're not choosing people at random to bring int…
I of course agree with you that the startup visa is a great idea, but I think Brian's other point is that US immigration as a whole is so fundamentally flawed that there are lots of areas that need large amounts of additional funding. This is a true political point, but there's not much we can do about it. As a political issue, the average American doesn't care about immigrants except for knowing that they want less…
US immigration as a whole is so fundamentally flawed that there are lots of areas that need large amounts of additional funding
Fixing the world one step at a time is not a bad approach.
Starting by steps that have great potential for generating wealth is a sensible strategy if you are thinking of taking any more steps.
Re: Senators Kerry & Lugar Introduce the Startup Visa Act
#204Earlier quoted context omitted.
I of course agree with you that the startup visa is a great idea, but I think Brian's other point is that US immigration as a whole is so fundamentally flawed that there are lots of areas that need large amounts of additional funding. This is a true political point, but there's not much we can do about it. As a political issue, the average American doesn't care about immigrants except for knowing that they want less…
US immigration as a whole is so fundamentally flawed that there are lots of areas that need large amounts of additional funding Fixing the world one step at a time is not a bad approach. Starting by steps that have great potential for generating wealth is a sensible strategy if you are thinking of taking any more steps.
I agree.
META:
Lest someone else respond to me, I don't mean to imply that there aren't many more viable strategies for fixing the world! If you think you can save the world, I would prefer to discuss it with you via email rather than in this thread.
Re: Senators Kerry & Lugar Introduce the Startup Visa Act
#205Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is true, but you are forfeiting any active management position, authority and likely control, which is basically the same as being fired as CEO. Not something you want to risk.
> This is true, but you are forfeiting any active management position, authority and likely control, which is basically the same as being fired as CEO. Again - no, being deported doesn't cause any of those things. The owners of the biz are the ones who make that decison. Since we're assuming that you're being deported because you're not satisfying the conditions of the startup visa, what are the odds that said owners…
You are using an unrelated but true argument to make your case by attacking my supposed criticism of the visa rules. I am not criticizing the rules, only pointing out that the deportation clause of the visa has consequences on control.
Yes, there have to be measurable metrics to gauge traction. Yes, I agree that 2 (3?) years is an acceptable time to create 5 jobs OR earn a mil OR raise a mil. Yes, unless those who don't meet these rules are deported, the rules won't have teeth.
But neither of those points has anything to do with the argument that deportation is synonymous with losing position, authority and likely control.
Maintaining control of a startup that is funded is a challenging job even when you are in the country. It should be. In my opinion, it would take a genius to remotely manage a startup. Even if you continue to be a majority owner after an investment, it would be very tough at best and foolish at worst to try to manage it from another country. That is assuming that it's a decision you alone can make, and your investors have no actual say in the matter.
The bottom line is that at the end of 2 (3?) years, if you don't meet these metrics, you will be in a different country than your company and very likely unable to control it without large scale changes in business model and/or structure.
Re: Senators Kerry & Lugar Introduce the Startup Visa Act
#206Earlier quoted context omitted.
As other people have commented, when you say "anachronistic" you really are being chauvinistic. I.e. you're assuming that there's no such thing as non-EU citizens who actually want to work in Europe. Those people face similar hurdles to those wanting to work in the US.
There are barriers, and it sucks that people can't do that. I'd be overjoyed if we had full freedom of movement across borders. That's what I mean; living in Europe you think about visas so rarely, despite crossing borders and looking at jobs overseas, that the whole idea begins to look archaic and paranoid.
That's true in the US as well, except that we no longer think of other states as "overseas", and a generation or two into the EU, neither will you guys. ;)
Re: Senators Kerry & Lugar Introduce the Startup Visa Act
#207Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's such a dishonest way of describing the situation that it's hard to believe it wasn't deliberate. You describe this bill as if it merely allowed powerful people to get their friends into the country, and it's not like that at all. Startup investors are not identical with the rich and connected. Angel investors are generally fairly rich, but not all VCs are. And they're not choosing people at random to bring int…
I of course agree with you that the startup visa is a great idea, but I think Brian's other point is that US immigration as a whole is so fundamentally flawed that there are lots of areas that need large amounts of additional funding. This is a true political point, but there's not much we can do about it. As a political issue, the average American doesn't care about immigrants except for knowing that they want less…
To correct myself, Fred Wilson points out in his blog post that it will be anti-immigration people against this bill, not specifically populists, and the anti-immigration people will be against the bill... so this doesn't come to inside baseball, and people writing to their elected representatives might make a difference.
Re: Senators Kerry & Lugar Introduce the Startup Visa Act
#208Seems to be a lot of confusion here. If you fail to meet the requirements after two years - you don't get kicked out of the country. You just can't get a green card via this method and you will need a new visa. If your start-up is still viable you could try to get an H1-B etc through it, or go get yourself another job. All visa holders are used to this kind of precarious situation already - loose your job, drop/get kicked out of school etc and it does not matter how long you have lived here, how much property you own, how many US degrees you have, you are on a ticking clock.
Startup visa is a move in the right direction - it adds another viable path to permanent residency. A path other than joining a big company and relying on them for example.
Re: Senators Kerry & Lugar Introduce the Startup Visa Act
#209Seems to be a lot of confusion here. If you fail to meet the requirements after two years - you don't get kicked out of the country. You just can't get a green card via this method and you will need a new visa. If your start-up is still viable you could try to get an H1-B etc through it, or go get yourself another job. All visa holders are used to this kind of precarious situation already - loose your job, drop/get k…
I doubt getting a H1B will be an option in this case. If companies could sponsor their co-owners for H1B I bet that is what everyone would be doing.
IANAL so I could be wrong.
Re: Senators Kerry & Lugar Introduce the Startup Visa Act
#210Earlier quoted context omitted.
My friend's applied for her green card 1.5 years ago. The best estimate for her getting the green card is 2017--about 8.5 years from the start of processing. That is the typical EB-3 wait time. Are you saying you'd have EB-6 applications also take 8.5 years?
Why couldn't your friend apply in EB-1 or EB-2?
She is trying to find a way to "upgrade" to EB-2 or to get a National Interest Waiver. Although she has a master's degree from a US university, her profession (high school foreign language teacher) doesn't usually get job postings requiring more than a BA. Also, at the college level, they generally make you wait a long time before they even start the green card process (or even H1-B).
However, besides her, I've met others in similar or worse situations, stuck in the EB-3 queue. Even if my friend got her green card under EB-2, I'd still be advocating for the EB-3 workers.