Summary Of 'Bring On More Immigrant Entrepreneurs'

“Bring on More Immigrant Entrepreneurs” is an article written by Shayan Zadeh, originally published in the Wall Street Journal on November 6, 2013. Zadeh insists that the American system for dealing with immigrants needs to change. Zadeh makes it known that the process is currently too complicated and long. This process ends up deterring skilled talent because of the difficulty to obtain visas and start businesses, as well as denying the opportunity for enormous economic growth.
Shayan Zadeh begins with the point of visas being too difficult to obtain. Iran, for instance has no American Embassies, so one would have to travel to Turkey to get a visa. However, on the student visa Zadeh had gotten to study at the University of Maryland wouldn’t

let Zadeh and Alex Mehr, cofounder of Zoosk, start a business. The process just to become permanent residents took over five years. However, there was still a long process ahead of them. After finally founding their business, Zoosk, Zadeh and Mehr were able to help shepherd dozens of immigrant employees through the immigration process. Thirteen years in immigration limbo, however, is enough to deter many educated and ambitious people from coming to the United States when there are several other countries willing to welcome their skills, such as Canada and the United Kingdom. Kadeh implies that America is knowingly hindering itself by not allowing the opportunity for huge economic growth.
Kadeh believes that America is making a mistake in deterring immigrant populations through complicated processes when it has a history of welcoming the persecuted, the hungry, and the poor. Finally, Kadeh concludes with stating that he is baffled by the turning away of skilled masses, instead, letting the economy remain stagnant.
The essence of Kadeh’s argument is that the American system is hindering itself with its complication. This statement makes sense because, in welcoming immigrants to America, more and more jobs would be created, therefore increasing the economy greatly. Also, America was based on the ideal of a welcoming society, taking in the hungry and the poor. However, when skilled workers attempt to come to America for the great opportunities here, they are turned away. Kadeh’s argument is best because it gives everyone involved a winning situation.
Kadeh says that while working for Microsoft, he was continuously warned not to change positions within the company because it would restart the process for getting a Labor Certificate (Kadeh 625). This is important because it shows how difficult it is to get even a Labor Certificate. One would not be able to change jobs or receive a promotion for more than two years. This is a good point to bring up because it shows how difficult it would be to accomplish, as just part of the whole process. For many people, having the same job for more than two years is extremely difficult. For anything to change, this, along with many other things, needs to change.
Zadeh also writes “[A lawyer] suggested that if we wanted to create Zoosk, our online dating site, we should build it in another country” (Zadeh 624). In other words, Zadeh and Mehr were urged to move elsewhere and work there instead of the United States. This is an example of the United States hindering itself with its own policies and processes. If people like Zadeh and Mehr were allowed to set up shop in America, the economy would be able to grow enormously. These processes need to change to not only benefit the immigrants, but also everyone in America and in countries America is connected with.
American policies regarding immigration need to change. People like Shayan Zadeh and Andy Mehr are constantly turned away from creating their own businesses in America by the complicated processes regarding immigration and the policies restricting immigrants from starting businesses. Kadeh and Mehr are only two people affected by the immigration policies, but many others are in the same boat.