Viewpoint: The case for a foreign worker advisory commission

Abstract

This paper outlines the case for an independent Foreign Worker Advisory Commis-sion (FWAC) to assemble and develop data and research to assist the administration and Congress make better and more timely decisions on employment-based migration (EBM), a relatively small (14 per cent in 2010) component of total immigration. An independent, professional FWAC should be an important component of comprehen-sive immigration reform. Indeed, the FWAC should be established and operational before any substantive changes are made in current foreign worker programs. The United States should, however, immediately improve the enforcement of the rights of foreign and domestic workers, simplify and modernize administrative procedures, and strengthen data relevance and reliability.