Biden administration plans to revive visa program for foreign entrepreneurs: Report

United States President Joe Biden’s administration plans to revive the immigration program of the country for the foreign entrepreneurs that his predecessor Donald Trump had aimed to end. Ex-US President Barack Obama had announced the International Entrepreneur program allowing foreign entrepreneurs the right to work in the United States for up to five years and listed some conditions. However, Obama’s tenure ended just three days after the announcement in 2017. While the Trump administration expressed its wish to end the Obama-proposed International Entrepreneur Rule, the Biden administration now plans to market the same program.

As per the Wall Street Journal report, Acting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Tracy Renaud has said that the immigrants in the United States have a “long history of entrepreneurship, hard work, and creativity, and their contributions to this nation are incredibly valuable.” As of now, there is no separate visa program available for startup founders in the US and the foreign entrepreneurs usually apply for a visa through other categories. 

The program proposed four years ago was not ended but applicants basically did not apply for it, reportedly assuming that the US would not entertain their requests. As per the report, an United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) official between 2017 and 2019, just one application was approved between 2017 and 2019 out of 30 applicants for the program. Since Biden acquired the White House, reportedly the venture-capital companies have also urged the US administration to pump resources to back the entrepreneurship program paving way for foreign startup founder into the country.

Biden’s approval drops on immigration

Meanwhile, a national poll indicated that most US citizens approve of the overall job of Joe Biden. However, as per the AP-NORC survey released on May 10, the US President’s numbers were mixed on gun violence and plunged on immigration. In the overall approval and disapproval rating, Biden is at 63% and 36% respectively. As per the poll, Biden’s rating for handling the COVID-19 pandemic stands at 71%-27%. Further, on healthcare, economy, gun policy and immigration, he stands at 62%-35%, 57%-42%, 48%-49% and 43%-54% respectively.

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