> After all, one can't always tell with certainty which immigrants are the "good" immigrants and which are the "bad" ones, in advance.
You can. Those with advanced degrees should be viewed as "desirable" immigrants.
You can. Those with advanced degrees should be viewed as "desirable" immigrants.
I'm not saying its a bad idea, but it draws a somewhat arbitrary line in the sand, one which would eliminate some of the "desirable" immigrants - entrepreneurs that have dropped out and gone on to build amazing companies.
[1] A good example can be found here: http://v.cx/2010/04/feynman-brazil-education and the associated discussion http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2483976
Basically it's like going to the market - see a license you like, then buy it.
That's what happens when the system is broken - you put stupid discriminatory rules in place, then prepare to get played.
If there is a reasonable proxy measure for a desirable behaviour, and you reward the reasonable proxy measure, it ceases to be a reasonable proxy measure.