Thursday, April 28 2005 17:12 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Microsoft chairman Bill Gates urged the Bush administration and lawmakers today (Apr 28, 2005) to abolish immigration limits on foreign engineers who can be hired by US companies, a sensitive subject among American technology workers watching their own jobs increasingly move overseas.

During an infrequent visit to lobby personally for changes in federal policy, the world's richest executive said the Government should eliminate the limit of 65,000 for overseas workers who can be hired each year by American firms under specialty "H1-B" visas aimed at drawing engineers, scientists, architects and doctors to the United States.

"The whole idea of the H1-B visa thing is, don't let too many smart people come into the country," Gates said during an invitation-only panel discussion at the Library of Congress. "The thing basically doesn't make sense."

Responding to a question about policy changes Gates would make if he were king, Gates said he "probably will get myself in trouble on this one." He endorsed more intensive study of nuclear power, improvements to US schools and higher research spending by Government.

"I'd certainly get rid of the H1-B visa cap," Gates added. "That's one of the easiest decisions."

Gates and other leading technology executives have pressed Congress aggressively to let them hire more foreign employees by raising visa limits, but Gates hasn't previously campaigned to abolish the immigration law entirely. Technology executives have argued they are unable to find qualified American workers, a contention disputed by US labour groups and unemployed computer engineers.

US transport secretary Norman Y Mineta had said last week in Chennai, India, that processing visas for people to visit the US was taking time as the Congress had passed a law that made mandatory for officials to personally interview those who seek visas.

Nearly five lakh Indians aspire to fly to the US every year, but the American Government issues only about 55,000 visas due to "lack of adequate manpower and infrastructure".