Section 5.3
Attract and Retain Trusted Foreign Talent
Chapter 05
Section 5.3
5.3A
Congress should authorize new green cards for biotechnology talent, especially from allied and partner countries.
5.3B
Congress should optimize the vetting process for foreign nationals to prevent illicit technology transfer.
The United States remains a top destination for the world’s leading STEM researchers and promising young scientists, thanks to its research universities, open research environment, free exchange of ideas, and regional innovation clusters.294 295 The number of international students who come to the United States to pursue degrees in biological and biomedical sciences has grown steadily since 1999, reaching an all-time high of over 53,000 in 2024.296 These students, along with budding biotechnology innovators from abroad, have been a boon to the United States.
But the United States struggles to retain much of this talent. Current policies make it difficult for foreign STEM students and professionals to stay permanently in America, start businesses, and contribute to the U.S. economy and innovation base, particularly in the defense sector.297 The Commission heard from experts in industry and academia that China is actively recruiting graduates from American universities as part of a long-term effort to surpass the United States.
Today, the United States educates and trains foreign-born experts, but its competitors end up reaping the rewards of that investment.
And those rewards are considerable: these highly educated and credentialed biotechnologists have access to American research and intellectual property, they often generate pathbreaking inventions, and they often go on to establish valuable startups. But many do so outside of the United States, largely because U.S. immigration policy forces them to leave. This failure puts the United States at a strategic disadvantage.
China’s approach to recruiting and retaining foreign talent stands in stark contrast. The Chinese government invests vast sums of money to attract international students and workers, using state-of-the-art, multi-million-dollar research facilities and large cash incentives to lure them to China.
It is not just adversaries that are taking advantage of American weakness but allies, too. In 2023, Canada introduced a pilot program offering three-year work permits for workers who are in the United States on temporary H-1B specialty occupation visas, which can include advanced degree holders in biotechnology.298 The program was so popular that it reached its 10,000 limit in a single day.299 Competitive efforts of this kind will only become more ambitious and effective if the United States does not act to retain the best and brightest.
Recommendation
5.3A
Recommendation 5.3A
Congress should authorize new green cards for biotechnology talent, especially from allied and partner countries.
These new green cards would help the United States retain more of the thousands of foreign students who graduate with relevant degrees or equivalent professional qualifications in biotechnology and other related fields.
Congress could authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to determine the eligibility of foreign biotechnology experts based on factors including education, work history, special skills, and letters of endorsement from public and private entities.
In the 118th Congress, Senator Todd Young (R-IN) introduced S.5644, the Heartland Visa Act of 2024, which similarly focuses on increasing the number of high-skilled immigrants in the United States.300 While this bill does not focus solely on biotechnology or critical and emerging technologies, it would provide a mechanism for a new visa category for high-skilled foreign talent to seek employment in economically disadvantaged U.S. counties where the population is declining. This legislation would complement the proposed biotechnology green cards, since the bill focuses on location while this proposal focuses on critical subject-matter expertise.
Recommendation
5.3B
Recommendation 5.3B
Congress should optimize the vetting process for foreign nationals to prevent illicit technology transfer.
The U.S. government should gather the information it needs to develop, update, and enforce its policies regarding visa screening, vetting, and restrictions to both protect and promote U.S. interests. A review of current federal visa control processes would improve the government’s capabilities and decision-making to better protect against threats to sensitive technologies, while still enabling top foreign talent to contribute to the U.S. economy. Drawing on the findings of that review, policymakers could make informed decisions about the efficacy of current processes.
The GAO should audit the U.S. government’s current visa restrictions, screening, and vetting and make recommendations to better protect against espionage and illicit transfer of critical and emerging technologies by countries of concern. Recent federal efforts in this area include the National Science Foundation’s Safeguarding the Entire Community of the U.S. Research Ecosystem (SECURE) Center, which serves as an information clearinghouse for the research community to mitigate foreign risks to the U.S. research enterprise; Presidential Proclamation 10043, which prohibits Chinese students with People’s Liberation Army (PLA) associations from obtaining student and exchange visitor visas; and the National Vetting Center, which coordinates interagency vetting efforts.301
In its audit, the GAO should review research security policies, procedures, and resources, including those regarding federal agencies, institutions of higher education, and technology companies (such as new federal agency guidelines and the SECURE Center). The GAO should also assess the effectiveness of those current policies and procedures.
NSCEB on the Road
Over the last two years, the Commission traveled the world to gain a deeper understanding of the global biotechnology landscape. The Commission met with scientists, government ministers, biomanufacturing workers, ambassadors, industry leaders, and start-up founders, witnessing firsthand biotechnology innovations abroad. The Commission observed the unique strengths of our allies and partners, from state-of-the art scale-up infrastructure to robust training programs to regulatory environments that accelerate innovation.
As biotechnology continues to evolve and present new opportunities and risks, cross-border collaborations with allies and partners—spanning joint research efforts, trade agreements, and talent exchanges—will be key to fostering a brighter, more prosperous, and safer future.
Belgium
Belgium is a global leader in biomanufacturing, with state-of-the art scale-up facilities. Commissioners went on a hard-hat tour of Steelanol, a company that is harnessing microbes that can convert industrial gas emissions into ethanol, which is repurposed into consumer products like athletic gear. The Commission also visited the Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant (BBEPP), a pilot-scale facility that helps innovators scale up biotechnology-based products.
In a series of discussions with NATO’s Deputy Secretary General and government leaders from the European Union, the Commission discussed the alignment of European and U.S. priorities on biotechnology and national security, as well as the importance of bioliteracy in government.
Denmark
Denmark’s highly integrated ecosystem accelerates biotechnology innovation by fostering collaboration between the public sector and private industry.
The Commission met with Novo Nordisk, the biopharmaceutical powerhouse behind the weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, that has a market value greater than Denmark’s GDP. The Commission learned how the Danish government’s unique relationship with industry, including government incentives and support, positions Denmark as a global biotech hub. The Novo Nordisk Foundation further strengthens this ecosystem by supporting biotechnology entrepreneurs through initiatives such as the BioInnovation Institute, a life sciences incubator.
Germany
In Germany, the Commission got a firsthand look, and firsthand taste, of cutting-edge biotechnology research and development (R&D). Commissioners had the opportunity to meet with leaders of Formo and try their biomanufactured cheese. Commissioners also met with a company that is 3D printing human tissue with the hope of being able to make organs for use in transplants.
Singapore
Commissioners learned how Singapore’s government is providing biotechnology companies with efficient, predictable, and flexible regulatory frameworks that enable rapid transition from research to commercialization. Commissioners met with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and the Ministers of Trade and Industry, Defence, and Foreign Affairs, as well as industry leaders, to discuss how biotechnology can strengthen the U.S.-Singapore relationship.
Japan
Japan is on the cutting edge of not only biotechnology R&D but also government policy. The country’s forward-thinking approach was evident during a tour of Sanatech Seed’s greenhouses, where Commissioners had the opportunity to taste GABA-enriched tomatoes, the first CRISPR-edited food to enter the international market. In meetings with Japan’s Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation, the Commission learned how Japan is leveraging its legacy expertise in technology innovation and manufacturing, ranging from regional technology hubs to producing high-end research instrumentation, to guide the country’s whole-of-government approach to advancing biotechnology.
Sweden
Sweden’s recent accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organiation (NATO) opened opportunities to discuss its whole-of-government approach to integrating national security and biotechnology innovation. Through a series of meetings with government officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and members of the National Security Council, Commissioners discussed Sweden’s recently adopted National Security Strategy. This strategy shared themes with the Commission’s own work, touching on topics including technological adoption, China’s growing military and technological ambitions, and the importance of working with like-minded countries.
United Kingdom
As one of the United States’ closest allies, the United Kingdom offers numerous opportunities to leverage and strengthen the Special Relationship for biotechnology advancement. The Commission met with industry innovators, investors, and government leaders, including the Minister for Science and leaders of the UK Biobank. The Commission also explored potential joint efforts on biological data collection, financing technologies for national security, and fostering biotechnology innovation and commercialization.