Comparative Advantage or Comparative Assets?

June 11, 2008 11:00 PM by Justin Ptak | Other posts by Justin Ptak | Comments (3)

It seems foreign technology workers have been competing with foreign fashion models for the sacred H-1B visas. These day there have been as many as 165,000 applicants annually for the category's 85,000 possible spots.

However, the number of visas issued to foreign fashion models was approximately 700 in each year between 2000 and 2005. And, now it has dropped to 349 in fiscal year 2007.

Not to worry.

The shortage of foreign fashion models has found a congressman to lobby for their cause. Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) introduced a bill that would create 1,000 new visa slots for them. He stated that it is a problem in Manhattan but also in his Brooklyn district, which feels the impact in terms of the loss of "ancillary benefits" such as jobs in the industry or increased business.

The language of the bill mandates that the visiting model be "of distinguished merit and ability" and that the event or photo shoot have a "distinguished reputation" or the model must be sponsored by "an organization or establishment that has a distinguished reputation for, or a record of, utilizing prominent modeling talent."

The committee report puts to rest the question of whether or not letting in more foreign models would hurt American models looking for work. "When advertisers and marketers cannot get the particular fashion model they want into the United States for their 'shoot,' they have an easy solution: namely, to move the location of the shoot offshore."

Weiner noted that some modeling agencies have begun simply Photoshopping a backdrop of New York City into a picture of a model in Eastern Europe.