Bill Gates "anxious" about US tech leadership

The lack of technology skills is causing the US to fall behind in the global knowledge economy, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates cautioned in a testimony before the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

"When I reflect on the state of American competitiveness, my feeling of pride is mixed with deep anxiety," Gates said.

"Too often, it seems we're content to live off the investments previous generations made, and that we are failing to live up to our obligation to make the investments needed to make sure the U.S. remains competitive in the future."

He recommended changes to the educational system, more loosening up of immigration rules for tech workers as well as an increase in investments in research.

"We a face a critical shortage of scientific talent," Gates said in a reference to the immigration issues. "There is only one way to solve that crisis today: Open our doors to highly talented scientists and engineers who want to live, work, and pay taxes here."

The number of so-called H-1B visa that are issued to skilled workers is currently capped off at 65,000 per year. The annual batch typically runs out within a few weeks. This denies foreign students at US colleges the opportunity to seek employment at the end of the school year, Gates noted.

The billionaire suggested that the cap should be lifted altogether, arguing that tech workers create additional jobs in supporting roles and increase tax revenues that oterhwise will be made elsewhere.

Gates' call is bound to run into opposition from labour unions. In the past they have charged that the H-1B visa programme provides companies with a way to import cheap labourers from abroad while putting local workers out of work.