Microsoft considers moving jobs abroad due to US immigration rules
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Microsoft has reportedly considered moving some jobs outside the United States due to policies and ints of policies in the United States aimed at making residence hostile for immigrant workers.
Microsoft, like many Silicon Valley firms, relies on foreign skilled tech workers to enable them to
Microsoft’s Chief Legal Officer — Brad Smith — explained that he really didn’t want to move jobs away, but explained that he would have to do so if there were decisions from the White House that led them to do so.
We don’t want to move jobs out of the United States and we hope that we don’t see decision making in Washington that would force us to do that. We’re not going to cut people loose. We’re going to stand behind them. In the world of technology you better stand behind your people because your people are your most valuable asset.
The firm noted that its development center in Vancouver existed as a bit of a safety valve, allowing workers a close location to migrate to even if the US becomes a bit too hostile for them.
However, the firm understands while some people int he the US might feel left behind in the wave of modernity that is seemingly weeping the nation. It understands and sympathizes, noting issues such as the lack of high-speed internet conection and so on.
“I think we have to show that on the one hand we will stand up for issues like immigration where we feel our interests are at stake,” Smith said. “But we also have to show that we get it, that we understand what these other parts of the country need and we need to take tangible steps ourselves as we’re striving to do, to meet those needs.”
