One Easy Fix for Immigration

Deepa Singh's journey to the U.S. began as a classic tale of the American dream. She left her native New Delhi in 1999 at the age of 23 and received a master's degree in computer science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York state. After graduating in 2001, she took a job as a computer analyst at computer maker Sun Microsystems (SUNW), weathering a stormy period of layoffs as the dot-com bubble burst. In the heart of Silicon Valley, she began thinking about starting her own company, developing a plan for a social-networking Web site for working women, and drawing offers for funding from venture capital firms.

That's when the dream died. She's in the U.S. on a temporary work visa, known as an H-1B, and Sun is sponsoring her for permanent residence. But the wait for a green card is six or seven years, and her visa prevents her from leaving Sun to start her own company. So at age 30, she's making plans to depart for Australia. "I expected that if you work hard and play by the rules that it would work out for me in America," says Singh. "I am eager to start my own company, but it turns out I don't have the option. I have wasted five of my most productive years just waiting."