For the first time since 2003, a coveted visa program that feeds skilled foreigners to some of the US' top-tier technology companies and universities is on track to leave thousands of spots unfilled, a sign of how the economy has eroded employment even among highly trained professionals.
一個(gè)把有技術(shù)的外國(guó)人送進(jìn)美國(guó)頂級(jí)科技企業(yè)和大學(xué)的熱門(mén)簽證項(xiàng)目，或?qū)⒘粝聰?shù)千個(gè)空缺。這在2003年以來(lái)還是第一次，顯示出經(jīng)濟(jì)覆巢之下，高學(xué)歷專業(yè)人士的就業(yè)亦無(wú)完卵。
The program, known as H-1B, has been a mainstay of places such as Silicon Valley and Wall Street, where many companies have come to depend on computer programmers from India or engineers from China. Last year, even as the recession began to bite, companies snapped up the 65,000 visas available in just one day. This year, however, as of Sept. 25, more than six months after the U.S. government began accepting applications, only 46,700 petitions had been filed.
這個(gè)名為“H-1B”的項(xiàng)目，一直以來(lái)就是硅谷和華爾街等地區(qū)的支柱。在這些地方，很多公司已經(jīng)對(duì)來(lái)自印度的程序員或來(lái)自中國(guó)的工程師形成依賴。就在去年衰退襲來(lái)之際，企業(yè)界一天的時(shí)間就搶完了65,000個(gè)簽證名額。但到今年9月25日，在美國(guó)政府開(kāi)始接受申請(qǐng)6個(gè)多月之后，僅提交了46,700份申請(qǐng)。
The numbers represent a sharp turnaround for a program that many companies had complained was too stingy with its visas.
這些數(shù)字表明，該簽證項(xiàng)目出現(xiàn)極大轉(zhuǎn)變。而以前很多公司還抱怨，簽證難求。
The sagging economy, which has pushed U.S. unemployment to 9.8%, has crimped expansion in the technology sector, traditionally the biggest user of the H-1B program. Julie Pearl, a corporate immigration lawyer in San Francisco, said that at least a third of her clients have dropped their hiring of H-1B visa holders by 50% from a year ago. "Most companies just aren't hiring as many people in general," she said.
不斷下滑的經(jīng)濟(jì)使美國(guó)失業(yè)率升至9.8%，也阻礙了H-1B項(xiàng)目傳統(tǒng)上需求最大的科技行業(yè)的發(fā)展。舊金山公司移民律師朱莉·珀?duì)柋硎?，至?/3的客戶將H-1B簽證持有人的雇傭數(shù)量較一年前裁減了50%。她說(shuō)：“從總體上看，大多數(shù)公司都削減了雇工人數(shù)。
Other factors have also contributed. Companies that receive federal bailout funds must prove they have tried to recruit American workers at prevailing wages and that foreigners aren't replacing U.S. citizens. That regulation caused Bank of America Corp. (BAC), among others, to rescind job offers to dozens of foreigners.
其它因素也有影響。接受聯(lián)邦援助資金的公司必須證明，它們已經(jīng)盡力以普遍的薪水額雇傭美國(guó)籍的員工，而外國(guó)人沒(méi)有對(duì)美國(guó)公民形成擠出。這一規(guī)定使美國(guó)銀行等公司取消了向眾多外國(guó)人發(fā)出的聘用合約。
Graduate-school applications from foreigners have also slowed. Foreigners' applications for 2009 admissions to universities that offer doctoral programs rose 5% from a year earlier, but foreigners' applications declined 17% at universities that offer a master's as their highest degree, according to the Council of Graduate Schools.
外國(guó)人的讀研申請(qǐng)也減少了。研究生院協(xié)會(huì)的數(shù)據(jù)顯示，外國(guó)人申請(qǐng)2009年入讀提供博士項(xiàng)目的大學(xué)的數(shù)量，較一年前增加了5%，但最高學(xué)位為碩士的大學(xué)，申請(qǐng)數(shù)量下降了17%。
In addition, as the U.S. economy sags, would-be immigrants from India and China are finding new career opportunities in their own countries.
此外，由于美國(guó)經(jīng)濟(jì)的下滑，來(lái)自印度和中國(guó)的潛在移民也在本國(guó)不斷找到新的就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)。
相關(guān)閱讀：
經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)余波未平 澳離婚率或大漲
經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)迫使美國(guó)老年人重返職場(chǎng)
委內(nèi)瑞拉選美業(yè)難逃經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)影響
經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)致原料短缺 古巴廁紙告急
（來(lái)源：愛(ài)詞霸，英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津編輯）
