More than one in six workers in Utah needs to get a permission slip from the government before he can do his job—a burden that falls especially hard on immigrants. Last month, Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill into law that will help break down the barriers that keep foreign and out-of-state professionals from working in Utah.
Senate Bill 35 lets nine state departments issue licenses to foreign professionals who can prove they have the requisite skills and experience to perform their jobs. The bill also applies to workers from other states who aren't licensed in Utah. The Institute for Justice (I.J.) has found that "the average license for low- and moderate-income jobs in Utah takes 130 days of education and experience. And those required classes can be very expensive."
