Expert immigration lawyer to share workforce strategies at SD Biotech Summit

If your organization hasn’t explored how to connect with an international workforce, it’s likely time.

Sophie Alcorn, founder and CEO of Alcorn Immigration Law, helps businesses and other organizations through the legal process necessary for individuals to live and work in the U.S.

A second-generation immigration attorney, she’s a Certified Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law, a rare accreditation from the California Board of Legal Specialization.

She also has authored TechCrunch’s Ask Sophie™ weekly immigration column, where she answers questions and shares insights on U.S. immigration for tech entrepreneurs and professionals.

Alcorn will share insights directly applicable to biotech companies and beyond at the 2024 South Dakota Biotech Summit & Annual Meeting.

The event will be Oct. 22 at Dacotah Bank Center in Brookings and focus on the theme of South Dakota’s impact on the world.

“South Dakota’s biotech innovation has global reach, and embracing the potential of an international workforce can help us grow our human capital as we advance this industry,” said Joni Ekstrum, executive director of South Dakota Biotech.

“That’s why we think a conversation around how we can begin connecting globally with talent while they’re students is so valuable.”

Alcorn will address the issues and opportunities involved in connecting with international students and workers during her conversation at the Biotech Summit.

We sat down with her for a preview of the conversation. 

Alcorn’s specialty is immigration law. How closely have you worked with the biotech sector, and have you found there are some unique needs experienced by this sector when it comes to connecting with international workers?

We work with a lot of biotech founders, biotech startups and growing biotech companies. They’re often using AI and machine learning for drug discovery and precision medicine, as well as other types of novel cures, so it’s an important and growing sector that has such an impact on our health and well-being. It’s exciting to help those inventors and their teams trying to bring that to the public, and it often starts with a researcher at a university who has discovered something and is an immigrant, as well as often a student. They would love to enter the private sector and stay in the U.S. long term to build their companies, so our practice starts at the very beginning with those folks being able to find ways to legally live and work and build their companies in the U.S. And it feeds back to the community because alumni-founded companies end up creating more jobs for students.

The benefits compound because growing biotech companies then start creating jobs for Americans. Sometimes, they also need to hire expert engineers and scientists and other professionals, so we can support their immigration as well. The federal government is encouraging research and development as well as manufacturing to the U.S., so often we need people with specific skill sets from overseas to build production capacity here when the time is right. 

How did you get connected here to a point where you’re attending the South Dakota Biotech Summit?

The University of South Dakota is dedicated to helping their students navigate immigration pathways to encourage entrepreneurship and invited me to speak. It’s really exciting to see this growing interest and support from U.S. universities to help create new opportunities for people in the United States.

At the South Dakota Biotech Summit, you’ll specifically discuss engaging an international student workforce. For employers that have not done this, are there some avenues they typically pursue to connect with international students?

There are a variety of legal immigration pathways for international students to pursue summer jobs, paid or unpaid internships during their studies coursework, volunteering and even full-time and part-time jobs after they graduate through OPT and CPT. Longer term, many STEM students can get an additional two-year work permit extension that allows them to work full time or part time called STEM OPT. There are a variety of work visas that employers can sponsor.

Many immigrants also are now even self-petitioning their green cards for permanent residence if they qualify based on “extraordinary ability” or doing work in the national interest. From the biotech perspective, conducting research, having leadership roles in professional associations and leading events in the scientific and engineering communities can help create a stronger profile.

How challenging would you describe the process, legally, for employers to begin utilizing an international student workforce? Is this something employers of any size or stage can tackle, or does it require a significant amount of resources to move forward?

It’s manageable! Even a pre-revenue startup can qualify to sponsor visas. Unlike corporate law, immigration attorneys typically charge flat fees, and it’s often less of an investment than hiring a recruiter. So if you have the right person, you have a vested interest in hiring them, it’s a win-win.

Have there been any changes procedurally at the federal level, or do you anticipate any changes that make it more difficult or simplified to engage an international workforce?

Immigration processing times have accelerated since the pandemic, which is a major win for employers because immigration is predictable. Most Americans agree that we want to welcome high-skilled immigrants, especially when it comes to critical and emerging technologies.

What are some common questions you receive from employers that you anticipate addressing at the SD Biotech Summit?

At the individual level, employers and immigrants want to know more about the qualifications, how to attract top global talent and how the process works.

At an ecosystem level, community stakeholders are asking: How can we create a better talent pipeline to attract brilliant people from all over the world, incorporate them into our workforce and support them to create the next wave of startups?

Additionally, I encourage residents of the region to talk to your lawmakers —  your voices and perspectives are an important part of the conversation to help make immigration law better for the United States.

To learn more and register for the 2024 South Dakota Biotech Summit & Annual Meeting, click here.