Posted on 05/07/2006 9:32:49 PM PDT by The Lion Roars
If you were to set out to design a story that would inflame populist rage, it might involve immigrants from poor countries, living in the United States without permission to work, hiring powerful Washington lobbyists to press their case. In late April, The Washington Post reported just such a development. The immigrants in question were highly skilled — the programmers and doctors and investment analysts that American business seeks out through so-called H-1B visas, and who are eligible for tens of thousands of "green cards," or permanent work permits, each year. But bureaucracy and an affirmative-action-style system of national-origin quotas have created a mess. India and China account for almost 40 percent of the world's population, yet neither can claim much more than 7 percent of the green cards. Hence a half-million-person backlog and a new political pressure group, which calls itself Immigration Voice. The group's efforts will be a test of the commonly expressed view that Americans are not opposed to immigration, only to illegal immigration. Immigration Voice represents the kind of immigrants whose economic contributions are obvious. It is not a coincidence that the land of the H-1B is also the land of the iPod. Such immigrants are not "cutting in line" — they're petitioning for pre-job documentation, not for post-job amnesty. And people who have undergone 18 years of schooling to learn how to manipulate advanced technology come pre-Americanized, in a way that agricultural workers may not
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
But not journalists. How ... strange.
"And people who have undergone 18 years of schooling to learn how to manipulate advanced technology come pre-Americanized, in a way that agricultural workers may not."
But they certainly are pepared to work at below economy based wages, in the same way as agricultural workers and other unskilled labor. Wages are depressed from the middle up instead of from the bottom up. There's always a price to pay.
that is untrue. i know many people here on the h1b visa who are very well paid. they are always looking for a promotion and arent afraid to take chances. if anything i am slightly jealous. :-) the above argument is used by protectionists.
That would be highly skilled labor. lawyers would be "deviously skilled".
Think about it again, H-1B Visa Immigrants are taking
American's Jobs!
I am a legal immigrant working in the US on a H1B visa. I know that many people on free republic do not have a high opinion of the H1B visa holders. However The US congress has promulgated this visa statute and I have played by the rules.I have payed federal and state income taxes. I have not availed any benifits from Social security/medicare. I am not a burden on the American social services.I have no criminal convictions. I never even had a speeding ticket. I am pro life..I consider myself a conservative..I am for small government. I believe that people should have a right to bear arms..
I am waiting for my green card for a number of years. I have enough available to put a down payment on a house but I would not dare to buy due to the uncertainties involved in the whole immigration processes. I have suffred a lot due to the complicated immigration procedures and delays in this country. After a certain time period I would not have any option but to pack up and go home. Please note that I am sure that my job would follow me to my country of origin. That would be a net loss to this country. Please support legal immigration. In the brouhaha of illegal immigration, I am noticing that no one is paying attention to the problems legal immigrants are facing....
PLEASE SUPPORT LEGAL IMMIGRATION
There is a lot of debate on that issue Sir, My point is I did not create this system..It is the wish of the United states Congress that is the people of the US to constitute this H1B program..Now How much should be paid for a job and who is taking whose job those are very tricky and debatable issues. My point of view is if I donot come here someone else will and I am here and all I am asking for is a fair hearing of my issues...
these immigrants are keeping these jobs in america. they are trying to become americans. so dont worry.they will remain american jobs.
In a way, a fair amount of H1-B immigration is illegal as well. First of all, the program is predicated on meeting actual shortfalls, but kept going full speed even as IT workers were losing jobs a few years ago. And second, a lot of companies seeking to hire H1-B visas will play games with the legal requirements to try and hire American workers first.
If there are bona fide labor shortages, then use H1-B to fill them. But don't use H1-B visas to drive down the wages of workers.
I have no beef with you. My objection is against employers and politicians who don't follow the rules regarding H1-B visas and who use them in unscrupulous manners.
I have quite a few friends on the h1 work visa. The rules are soo twisted that they are a lawyer's dream. We need to simplify these rules.
Any estimate of labor shortfalls is going to be just that -a good guess. So I am not too concerned about it. These H1b visas are legal, the visa holders pay a fee to get the visa, and they do not burden our social services. Also did I mention that many of my H1b friends are happy to be here and would settle down and become patriotic americans given half a chance to do so.
I was watching the Gangs of New York the other night. Very relevant movie to the goings on today.
The problem is, employers shriek "shortfall" rather quickly. know there are still a lot of former IT workers
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