Editorial: Smooth the system for work visas
The largest employers of H-1B immigrants on Long Island are Stony Brook University and the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset. Most of the workers are in research. Credit: iStock
52,921 -- That's the number of visas sought for highly skilled immigrants in the New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey area in 2010 and 2011. It was the highest demand of any region in the country. Stony Brook University and the Feinstein Institute For Medical Research in Manhasset topped the list of those employing H-1B visa holders on Long Island. But the visa process is cumbersome and inadequate. Now that illegal immigration has slowed, the stage is set for Washington to improve the legal immigration system to meet the needs of employers and the economy.
