It might be up to the government to decide whether foreign workers are the most qualified applicants for for jobs at private companies.

Planet Money's Zoe Chace reports that the immigration overhaul bill proposes doubling the number of skilled-worker visas available to companies that want to hire foreign workers. But the application process is a challenge in itself. (This piece initially aired May 2, 2013, on Morning Edition.)

Much of the focus on the immigration overhaul bill has been on what to do about the millions of people working illegally in the U.S. But things might change for a smaller subset of immigrant workers. The bill proposes doubling the number of skilled worker visas available to companies that want to hire foreign workers.

Candy makers and sugar farmers have been fighting for years in Congress. The sugar farmers are winning.

It wasn't insurance or federal relief that brought Coney Island back to life. It was something much smaller and closer to home.

The demand from American companies for highly skilled immigrants seems to be up this year. And that could mean something is about to change for the overall economy.

When you add up all the country's banks, they don't even match the 30th largest bank in the U.S. But people all over the world have good reason to be freaked out over what's happened there this week.

Two months ago, the popular political blogger left the comfortable world of big media and struck out on his own. His bold new plan: Ask readers to pay to subscribe to his blog.

JC Penney's new CEO came in with a bold strategy: No more sales or coupons. It didn't work.

Retail sales fell in October, largely because of the storm. To get a sense of the small picture — messier, more ambiguous — I visited three small businesses on one hard-hit street.

Right now is a perfect moment for a liquidator. The economy is bad enough that big companies are going out of business, but good enough that customers will come and buy the stuff that's for sale.