Tech leaders oppose Trump administration’s decision to ban ‘startup visas’

The Trump administration announced plans to do away with the International Entrepreneur Rule, which would have allowed foreign entrepreneurs to set up businesses in the US and reside there. Welcomed by many people in the technology industry, it was to have been effective from 17 July. The US administration on 10 July said that it would postpone the program until March 2018 as the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) would review in detail the ‘startup visa.’ Bloomberg quotes Steve Case, founder of America Online, as saying in a Twitter statement that it was a big mistake. He said that immigrant entrepreneurs create jobs and not take them away. Bobby Franklin, president and CEO, The National Venture Capital Association, an industry trade body for venture capitalists, in a statement said that when countries across the world are doing their best to lure and retain skilled workers in order to start and develop innovative companies, their leadership is doing just the opposite. The ban on travel from six countries with the predominantly Muslim population was met with opposition by a wide range of companies, including over 160 top technology firms such as Google, Facebook and Amazon. They have also been critical of the administration’s measures to reduce the entry of talented workers into the US through H-1B visas. Meanwhile, quite a few Republican Senators, including John McCain, said in a letter to John Kelly, Homeland Security Secretary, that there was no benefit in not attracting entrepreneurs and the investments they would bring in. If you are looking to travel to the US, get in touch with Y-Axis, a leading immigration consultancy, to apply for a visa.