Google spurs US to ease immigration rules for tech talent

“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.”