If me be benevolent dictator, then would I set tariffs not only to protect fledgling industries, but as well to equalize the transfer of legal and policy costs -- and then considering legal and policy transfers, I might even set tariffs to encourage (nicely or meanly, matters not which) such transfers of beneficent laws. For example, our environemntal laws, that require effluent not poison the neighborhood stream are a cost, yet some developing nations don't heed the regulation, poison their streams and give us the cheaper good on that account. I would set a tariff to avoid imports costed low on this account. On the other hand, many environmental laws and regs are wacko, and I'd have no tariff to encourage imports in such cases.
Likewise in labor and services -- we should set a tariff rather than run a silly paperwork program (H1, L1). That is an extra income tax extracted on Inidan labor. That would equalize the policy difference -- in India the technical schools and colleges are socialist -- tuition paid for by the State. That puts our young technologists and engineers are a GREAT disadvantage in competition. As already pointed out on thread, our students come out of school with a debt burden that -- it alone -- makes them uncompetitive with imported labor.
Well said ... AND usually the foreign worker works here for 5 years or so and saves all he can by living in a cheap apartment with 10 others. After 5 years or so he moves BACK to his home country and lives like a king on his home's depressed 3rd world economy. That option is NOT available to American citizens who have to live in THIS economy. American workers CANNOT compete with foreign workers here or in other countries .... especially foreign countries that engage in slave labor like China.
It has NOTHING to do with free labor or free markets.