More work permit visas may benefit U.S.

A STARTLING STATISTIC for a wealthy country is the percentage of Americans who have visited another country — only 35 percent. This is far lower than any other developed country — Canada/Australia 70 percent, U.K. 85 percent — which also have citizens with limited incomes.

Having worked in those countries, and more recently the U.S., a striking difference is the perceived lack of curiosity about the world outside U.S. borders. Unfortunately there is often ignorance and fear about other countries and cultures, fueled by certain politicians. This is unhelpful in an increasingly competitive interconnected and interdependent world.

It’s been my experience working and backpacking in Asia/Africa/South America that citizens of many poorer countries are keen to learn about other countries, and many have extensive knowledge about the U.S. I have been impressed with the resourcefulness, intelligence, good humor and support networks of people surviving on incomes far below U.S. minimum wage. This category included nurses, IT specialists and small business entrepreneurs — skills needed in the U.S. I wondered how the U.S. would benefit from expanding work permit visas.

Developing countries and the U.S. could benefit from an expanded Peace Corps and/or mandated community service, drawing on a much larger pool of Americans to participate and in turn fast tracking work permits from developing countries. Those on work permits would fill needed gaps, increase the tax base and likely remit money home, and/or return to reinvigorate their home country economies.

I suspect most Americans would also be reinvigorated, become more engaged in the world and hopefully return not taking for granted the significant benefits and opportunities of being in the U.S. JOHN BLOOMFIELD Albuquerque