"For America to regain its leadership in global talent, it must urgently reform its high-skilled immigration," he said.
Launched in 1990, the H-1B visa program allows foreign scientists, engineers and technologists to be employed for up to six years, at the end of which they must obtain a permanent residency or return home. A large number come from Asia, especially India.
Microsoft chairman Bill Gates told Congress recently that US high-tech firms are forced to outsource jobs overseas because of immigration restrictions.
Gates argued that for each person hired on an H-1B visa, four additional employees are hired in the US in support positions.
Both supporters and critics of the program however agree that the prospect of a lottery for skilled workers is a flawed way to allocate the visas.
"Companies don't want to play the lottery. They want to figure out how to invest their resources," said Angelo Amador of the US Chamber of Commerce.
Kim Berry of the Programmers Guild, an association of IT professionals who claims US workers are hurt by the visa program, says it can be fixed with an alternative to the lottery.
"The guild advocates that priority be given to higher skilled H-1B candidates, and that US employers be given preference over foreign consulting firms," Berry said.
"These simple changes would provide a means for Microsoft and other US employers to have every H-1B that they submit on April 1, 2008 approved," she said.
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