No Matter What Happens With DACA, We Find The Startups That Accept Dreamers
We, at Jobbatical, are dedicated to creating a platform that opens borders, enables people to work and live where they are happy, and boosts economies by making talent available. We are deeply saddened by the Trump administration’s decision to repeal DACA, leaving 800,000 Americans uncertain of their status in the country they consider home. We hope America’s leaders in Washington will work to protect these Dreamers for good and keep the American spirit alive.
I grew up in an isolated world, behind the iron curtain of the Soviet Union. I know what it’s like to live in a country where no one gets in and no one gets out. I can tell you with some certainty that cutting people off from the American dream is not lucrative, not good for the economy and certainly not good for residents.
When my home country of Estonia gained its independence from the Soviet Union, it went from being a poor, suppressed place with minimal resources to a leading hub for entrepreneurship in Europe. I remember, as a child, waiting in line for hours just to get a loaf of bread. Now modern Estonia prides itself on being a digital mecca; the whole country is at the forefront of innovation. The opposite effect is true for turning an independent and open country into an isolated one.
By eliminating borders, we create opportunity. For example, our platform connected a Product Manager — who previously worked at Google and Twitter — with a startup in Estonia. Within 24 hours after being hired, he was able to work in a new country. Within 12 days, he was granted residency.
I had the opportunity to graduate high school in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and from Singularity University in Moffett Field, California. The thing I admired most about America was that everyone has the freedom to build their dream. I have never heard, “Yes, you can, Karoli!” as many times in my life as I did during my exchange. Eliminating DACA is like telling honest people who grew up on the American Dream, “No you can’t.”
Repealing DACA is a step in the wrong direction for America’s growth and could have devastating, long-term consequences. No country should send away her own people; not only is it morally wrong, but it’s not even economically sound.
The United States has a growing talent shortage, and it can’t combat that shortage by turning away educated, skilled workers.
Jobbatical strives to help business, tech, and creative talent find and live in countries that value people and their work. We will continue to offer a resource for everyone to find their place in this world, break down borders, and help the world work together.
Today, the American dream isn’t about a place anymore, it’s a state of mind.
