Now that the US is no longer the undisputed world technology leader, rules devised during the Cold War to prohibit the export of certain technologies and restrict foreign scientists from immigrating to the US are outdated and harmful to economic competitiveness, the US National Research Council (NRC) reported last Thursday.

Back in 2003, the scientific community protested the strict post-9/11 visa rules, citing that many students and scholars could not obtain visas. While it is now comparatively easier for students to obtain visas, professional researchers applying for US work visas still face many regulatory obstacles, the NRC report notes.

The report urges the president to issue an immediate executive order that—in addition to easing high-tech export restrictions—would also expedite the visa process for foreign scientists and engineers. The report also suggests new rules that would automatically allow foreign students to remain in the US for a year after obtaining advanced scientific or technical degrees.

An executive order to fix these visa woes might help foster innovation in the US. However, in addition to the executive order that the NRC suggests, I think the next US Congress should devise permanent legislation—that will stay in place during future presidential administrations—that eases export and visa restrictions, in order to promote US-foreign collaboration in the long-term. Do you think it’s time the US rework its visa rules for biomedical researchers?

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