In formal testimony before the US House Committee on Science and Technology, Bill Gates argued that US immigration policy had become the most critical threat to American technological competitiveness. He called for: raising the H-1B cap from 65,000 to a much higher figure; eliminating per-country annual limits on employment-based green cards; extending the OPT work period for foreign STEM graduates from 12 to 29 months; and creating a clear, fast-track path to permanent residency for skilled foreign workers. He testified that Microsoft had been unable to secure H-1B visas for one-third of its highly qualified international candidates and had been forced to locate staff in countries with more welcoming immigration systems.