Google believes more H1B visas should be made available in order to lure the best foreign talent to work in the USA, arguing that overseas workers have shaped the IT industry.

The internet giant’s vice president, Laszlo Bock, lobbied Congress for a rise in the H1B quota yesterday - one of four business leaders who testified to the subcommittee presiding over the latest American immigration reform.

Some of the finest international minds have come to work in the USA and have thrived, he stated, pointing out that Intel, eBay, Yahoo! and Sun Microsystems were all formed by immigrants who moved to the States under the H1B programme.

Eight per cent of Google’s employees that work in the USA are on H1B visas and the company’s co-founder, Sergey Brin, is a first-generation American.

“Immigrants from countries like Canada, Iran and Switzerland now lead our business operations, global marketing, global business development and data infrastructure operations,” Mr Bock said.

“The fact is that we are in a fierce worldwide competition for top talent unlike ever before. As companies in India, China and other countries step up efforts to attract highly skilled employees, the USA must continue to focus on attracting and retaining these great minds.”

John Gay, senior vice president for public policy and government affairs at the National Restaurant Association, concurred. More H1B visas should be available to avert the “danger of not having the workers we need to grow our economy”, he said.

Contributed by J.Bevan