American Brain Drain (U.S.-born Ph.D.s are hard to come by.)

Wall Street Journal ^ | 27 November 2007 | Editorial Staff

[shrinkermd]

One myth dogging the immigration debate is that employers are fibbing (or grossly exaggerating) when they claim that hiring foreign professionals is unavoidable because U.S.-born Ph.D.s are hard to come by. But a new report on doctorates from U.S. universities shows they're telling the truth, and then some.

Foreign-born students holding temporary visas received 33% of all research doctorates awarded by U.S. universities in 2006, according to an annual survey by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. That number has climbed from 25% in 2001. But more to the point of business competitiveness, foreign students comprised 44% of science and engineering doctorates last year.

"China was the country of origin for the largest number of non-U.S. doctorates in 2006," says the report, followed by India, Korea, Taiwan and Canada. "The percentage of doctorates earned by U.S. citizens ranged from lows of 32% in engineering and 47% in physical sciences, to highs of 87% in education and 78% in humanities." Given this reality, is it any wonder that 40% of Ph.D.s working in U.S. science and engineering occupations are foreign-born?

Immigration opponents still claim that the likes of Intel and Oracle merely want to hire Chinese engineers on the cheap. In fact, U.S. law already prohibits companies from paying these foreign nationals less than natives. And all other things being equal, the American job applicant has an advantage because employers are required to pay an additional $4,000-$6,000 in taxes and fees on every H-1B visa holder they hire.

[mysterio]

More open borders nonsense from the WSJ. Big surprise there. Thanks, Rupert.

[1rudeboy]

Why is this “open borders nonsense?”

[HKMk23]

U.S.-born Ph.D.s are hard to come by.

So, according to the Laws of Supply and Demand, they're being more highly compensated owing to their greater worth??

[RightWhale]

For some no doubt good reason, Americans don’t see a doctorate as the key to a decent career anymore. For foreign nationals it is exactly the key, but Americans have other options.

[1rudeboy]

Yeah, that’s how it works. Unless you are an astro-physicist, or hold a Ph.D in some other area with no practical application.

[Alberta's Child]

There's a lot of truth to what they say here -- particularly about the extra cost of hiring a foreigner with an H1-B visa. My company has done that occassionally, and believe me -- it's an enormous pain in the @ss and only done as a last resort.

Companies like Oracle and Intel sure don't need foreigners to suppress labor costs in the U.S. In fact, wasn't it some big shot from Intel who recently pointed out that his company could hire cheap foreign labor IN THOSE FOREIGN COUNTRIES to do most of the work they need these folks to do?

[SatinDoll]

This is so ridiculous. People here don’t seek PhD degrees because they aren’t necessary for the vast number of jobs available. There is such a thing as being overeducated.

When a person doesn’t know it is impossible, well they just go right on ahead and do it. I’ve come to the conclusion that most college educations teach you what isn’t possible.

[mysterio]

Why is this “open borders nonsense?”

Because it's another piece of propaganda desigened to pressure congress to raise the H1B limit so corporations can hire cheaper Indian and Chinese engineers instead of Americans.

[Shermy]

WSJ

Wage Supression Journal

“In fact, U.S. law already prohibits companies from paying these foreign nationals less than natives.”

LOL. Just dummy up some job ads at lower wages, make job specs so specific they fit the foreigner, SOP.

“And all other things being equal,”

I bet they’re not since they aren’t detailed, and are those “fees” only a one time shot? How come business aren’t failing with the HB1 cap level where it is now?

I’m not even sure people are complaining about

[Zhang Fei]

Foreign-born students holding temporary visas received 33% of all research doctorates awarded by U.S. universities in 2006, according to an annual survey by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. That number has climbed from 25% in 2001. But more to the point of business competitiveness, foreign students comprised 44% of science and engineering doctorates last year.

This may not be because there aren't enough American applicants, but because these universities won't accept a lot of American ones. I wonder what the Chinese people would say if 44% of doctorate candidates accepted into Chinese graduate schools were foreigners. Or what Americans would say if 44% of college slots were reserved for foreigners.

[1rudeboy]

Because it's another piece of propaganda desigened to pressure congress to raise the H1B limit so corporations can hire cheaper Indian and Chinese engineers instead of Americans.

You mean the Americans we're not graduating, and the Indian and Chinese we are . . . who then return to their home countries? That doesn't sound like good public policy.

Disclaimer: I know nothing about about the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.

[Maceman]

One myth dogging the immigration debate is that Americans are opposed to legal immigration, and to encouraging foreign Ph.D. candidates to our shores.

This article does a nice job of perpetuating that myth, when the legal importation of skilled talent is not the issue at all.

[RightWhale]

The first is the correct choice. Americans just don’t apply for doctoral programs in technical disciplines in great numbers.

[1rudeboy]

How come business aren’t failing with the HB1 cap level where it is now?

According to this article, Microsoft announced it is opening a software development center in Vancouver. Canadians are not known for being less "expensive" than us.

[depressed in 06]

Only foreigners are dumb enough to go in the technical disciplines. Americans know that the real action is the law. Science and business is all evil. At least that is was I have learned reading the press and watching tv.

[shrinkermd]

"In psychology and cognitive science, confirmation bias is a tendency to search for or interpret new information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions and avoid information and interpretations which contradict prior beliefs. It is a type of cognitive bias and represents an error of inductive inference, or as a form of selection bias toward confirmation of the hypothesis under study or disconfirmation of an alternative hypothesis.

"Confirmation bias is an area of interest in the teaching of critical thinking as the skill is misused if rigorous critical scrutiny is applied only to evidence challenging a preconceived idea but not to evidence supporting the same preconception.

From Wikipedia.

[Chi-townChief]

My brother will get his PhD in a year or two; all he has left is his dissertation (which is quite a bit, from what I hear.)

[PsyOp]

With all those PHD’s in education you’d think we’d be turning out more scientists and engineers instead burger flippers.

Kinda sets one to thinking...

[aruanan]

And all other things being equal, the American job applicant has an advantage because employers are required to pay an additional $4,000-$6,000 in taxes and fees on every H-1B visa holder they hire.

But the universities still cannot discriminate in favor of the American job applicant and wind up paying these huge fees and hating it. I know this for a fact.