微软(Microsoft)董事长、世界首富比尔o盖茨(Bill Gates)昨日警告称，限制进入美国的熟练工人数量的规定，已使美国的竞争力面临风险。

Bill Gates, the chairman of Microsoft and the world's richest man, gave warning yesterday that restrictions¹ on the number of skilled workers allowed to enter the US put the country's competitiveness at risk.

此番言论是科技行业对美国限制性移民政策的最新抨击。美国科技行业正面临熟练工人短缺的问题，而目前科技业对这些人技能的需求不断上升。盖茨在美国参议院卫生、教育、劳工及退休金委员会(Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labour and Pensions)发表演讲时表示，美国移民政策的严格程度有所上升--部分原因是出于对恐怖主义的担忧，这"恰好在我们最有需要时，把全球最优秀、最聪明的人赶走了"。

The comments marked the latest attack on restrictive US immigration policies by the technology industry, which is facing a shortage of skilled workers even as demand for their skills is increasing. Speaking before the Senate committee on health, education, labour and pensions, Mr Gates said that tighter US immigration policies - governed partly by concerns over terrorism - were "driving away the world's best and brightest precisely² when we need them most".

"这等于告诉训练有素、高度熟练的工人，美国不欢迎或者不重视他们，这毫无道理，何况他们中许多人还在我们的顶尖学院和大学中受教育，"盖茨表示，"如果美国将恰好最能帮助我们进行竞争的人关在门外，那么它将发现极难维持自己在科技方面的领导地位。"

"It makes no sense to tell well-trained, highly skilled individuals, many of whom are educated at our top colleges and universities, that the United States does not welcome or value them," Mr Gates said. "America will find it infinitely³ more difficult to maintain its technological⁴ leadership if it shuts out the very people who are most able to help us compete."

盖茨表示，其它国家正利用美国的限制性移民政策，吸引高度熟练的工人，而这些人本可能选择在美国学习、定居和工作。

Mr Gates said that other countries were taking advantage of restrictive US policies by catering⁵ to highly skilled workers who would otherwise choose to study, live and work in the US.

"我们错失的机遇变成了它们的收获，"盖茨表示，"我个人在微软几乎每天都能看到这些政策的不利影响。"

"Our lost opportunities are their gains," he said. "I personally witness the ill effects of these policies on an almost daily basis at Microsoft."

盖茨对美国的竞争力状况发出了广泛警告，上述关于移民问题的言论便是其中之一。

Mr Gates's comments on immigration were part of a broader warning by the Microsoft chairman over the state of US competitiveness.

盖茨表示，如果美国不迅速改善教育、投资基础科学研究并改革移民政策，他将"深为担忧"美国保持竞争力的能力。

Mr Gates said he felt "deep anxiety" about America's ability to remain competitive if it did not act quickly to improve education, invest in basic science research, and reform its immigration policies.

盖茨呼吁美国国会放宽妨碍许多外国学生在美国大学完成学业后定居美国的规定。他还建议国会缩短高度熟练工人获得永久居民身份的时间。

Mr Gates called on Congress to loosen rules that prevent many foreign students from settling once their studies at US universities are complete. He also suggested that Congress speed the process of obtaining permanent resident status for highly skilled workers.

美国目前将签发给外国熟练工人的签证数量限制在每年6.5万个，而将签发的绿卡（即获得永久居民身份）数量限制在每年14万个。

The US currently limits visas for skilled foreign workers to 65,000 a year, while the number of green cards, required for permanent resident status is limited to 140,000 a year.