PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · May 15, 2012
Securing the Talent America Requires for the 21st Century Act of 2012 or the STAR Act of 2012 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to allocate 55,000 annual immigrant visas for eligible STEM field (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) advanced degree graduates of qualifying U.S. research institutions who have job offers in related fields.
Exempts from regular labor certification requirements an alien who holds a master's degree in a STEM field from a U.S. research institution if the alien will be employed by an employer who engages in a competitive recruitment and selection process and determines that the alien is more qualified than any U.S. worker who applied for the job.
Deems as a shortage occupation a job described in an employment-based immigrant preference petition filed on behalf of an alien who holds a doctorate degree from a U.S. research institution in a STEM field. Permits the petitioner to apply for a certification directly with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Includes among employment-based immigrant preferences aliens who graduate from a U.S. research institution with a doctorate or master's degree in a STEM field and intend to work in a related field.
Excludes an alien student who intends to pursue an advanced STEM field degree in a U.S. research institution from the foreign student visa requirement that an alien student has a foreign residence which he or she has no intention of abandoning.
People & committees
Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] · R–TX
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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