The National Science Board (NSB), has released its report, “Science and Engineering Indicators 2008″ on Tuesday. In it, the board, which manages the National Science Foundation, reveals that of all the temporary visas permitted in 2006, 54% of them went to Indians. Now over 50% of the H-1B visas have been issued to them.
They are followed by the Chinese with 9%, the Canadians, the South Koreans and the Philippines with 3% each. Examining the status of engineering and science training along with the capability of the United States in competing globally, the report also takes into account and analyses H-1B visa trends.
Under the H-1B program, according to the study 51% of the estimated 110,000 H-1B visas were issued in 2006 and 51% of the visa holders were employed in computer-related professions. Compare this to 2002 when about 25% were employed in computer-related careers. This move could most probably be due to the increase of offshore outsourcing in the U.S.

Offshore firms are the largest clients for the H-1B. In 2006 the topmost employers of H-1B holders were the three Indian giants, Infosys Technologies Ltd., (4,908 visas), Wipro Ltd., (4,002 visas), and Tata Consultancy Services, ( 3,046 visas).
Although the number for visas is limited to 85,000 this does not include those distributed to universities and academic research. A large number of the visa holders hold a master’s degree.
Additionally, the report reveals that American schools trail behind schools in other developed countries in math and science. As a result there may be an even steeper decline in the American engineering and science labor sector.
According to the report, “If this slowdown occurs, the rapid growth in R&D employment and spending that the United States has experienced since World War II may not be sustainable.”
The big question is, “Will the United States be of any consequence in such an international economy?”
Although the report states that the United States is ahead by quite a large margin today, it is of the opinion that there may be “a slow shift of the epicenter of the world economic growth” toward that region,” (India, China and South Korea).