Google spurs US to ease immigration rules for tech talent

In a plea for hiring relief, Google has sent the US Department of Labor an urgent appeal to amend US immigration laws to ease the hiring of foreign IT workers.

On May 1, the tech titan submitted a lengthy response to the department’s request for information on modernizing Schedule A, a little-known immigration rule that fast-tracks the hiring of foreign workers in occupations facing pre-certified shortages in the US. In a copy of the letter obtained by CIO.com, Google urges the government to expand the list of occupations covered under Schedule A to include cutting-edge jobs in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, fields for which the company says it struggles to find enough qualified US candidates to keep pace with its ambitious projects.

“Examples of roles within our company that will be critical to the US’ national interests and that demonstrate the need for a modernized, agile Schedule A include AI Engineer, Software Engineer, Research Engineer, and Research Scientist; and in the cybersecurity domain, Security Engineer, Privacy & Safety Engineer, and Trust & Safety roles,” Google wrote in its response to the Department of Labor’s call for input on its proposed rule to expand Schedule A to additional STEM and non-STEM occupations.

Easing the immigration process

Under US immigration law, Schedule A occupations are considered pre-certified by the Department of Labor as having shortages of talent in the US. As a result, employers petitioning to hire for Schedule A designated positions are exempt from having to conduct labor market tests, thereby expediting the hiring process. Occupations designated as Schedule A are split into two groups: Group 1, which includes professional nurses and physical therapists; and Group 2, for those with exceptional ability in the arts and sciences.

In its letter, Google argues that updating Schedule A would not only help the company hire the best and brightest from around the world but also advance “important national interests” by reducing administrative costs for the department and employers. It could also make life easier for highly skilled foreign nationals seeking permanent residence in the US, providing “increased predictability and stability” in the often-arduous immigration process.

Google’s letter comes as the company races to stay apace in the global arms race for AI market share. Vying against rivals such as Microsoft and OpenAI, Google is betting big on projects like Gemini, a large language model (LLM) the company has made available for use on mobile devices and in data centers alike. To continue bringing innovations such as Gemini to market, Google says it needs an army of top-tier talent that the US simply isn’t producing fast enough.

“The significant talent gap in the US labor market has left companies struggling to find workers with the specialized skills they need to innovate,” Google wrote in its response.

The company also sounded the alarm on the dire shortage of cybersecurity professionals, noting that “the global cybersecurity workforce needs to grow by 65% to effectively defend organizations’ critical assets” against an ever-evolving landscape of digital threats.

Growing the AI workforce

To ensure Schedule A stays up to date with rapidly evolving workforce needs, Google urged the Department of Labor to consider input from a wide range of sources, including the private sector, state and local governments, academic institutions, and the public. The company also encouraged the department to review and modify the list on a regular basis.

“Google has been at the forefront of AI development for years, and we have seen firsthand how AI can deliver game-changing innovation,” the company wrote. “We project that our need for AI Engineer roles, including Software Engineer, Research Engineer, and Research Scientist roles, will increase significantly in the coming years.”