“This is for the most part, BS. I suppose misuse is always possible, but major companies pay the same for local and H1 talent. In fact, they pay more to H1 holders (relocation packages, tax support etc).”
Your company may be the exception that makes the rule.
Most H-1B’s come in through ‘body shops’ that farm them out as consultants. They are treated like indentured workers and used to suppress US salaries in general.
Prior to rubber stamped H-1b visas, the US had no trouble bringing in the brightest and best under the old H visa.
The big difference is that under the old H visa, I have friends tell me they had to go through what was once full green card screening - prove education and experience claimed on the resume, prove that they were not a security risk, prove that they had a job waiting, prove that they were healthy.
“By your logic, Detroit is the right way to run business: High government regulation and interference.”
I don’t appreciate someone mis-representing what I wrote.
It is a red herring to present this an an either or issue.
“I’m all for eliminating illegal immigration once and for all, but attacking 65,000 legal visitor positions is just lunatic.”
I it not 65,000 workers see pos #2. Add to that those working for “exempt employers” and ‘overstays’.
“The big difference is that under the old H visa, I have friends tell me they had to go through what was once full green card screening - prove education and experience claimed on the resume, prove that they were not a security risk, prove that they had a job waiting, prove that they were healthy.”
I’m aware how it was before, but this sounds pretty much how it is now.
I admit that it is possible that there are “body shops” that farm out mediocre H1 holders to do routine stuff.
I’m familiar with how things are done in a few large corporations (both US and foreign). These big corporations would have been toast in the US without H1 program (including Google, MS). The net benefit of having MS and Google in the US is enormous.
“I don’t appreciate someone mis-representing what I wrote.
It is a red herring to present this an an either or issue.”
I apologize for that. Still, I think that this is unnecessary government interference.
Maybe the right way to approach H1 is to split it:
- talented foreigners (e.g. with PhD’s, or M.Sc. from top US school)
- “body shop” (e.g. Asian bachelor degrees).
Get rid of the latter and increase the former. Most of the H1 holders I know will eventually return to their home country, and they certainly will not be welfare-recipients.
This program is crucial for US economy.
Somebody mentioned that placing foreigners outside of US is nice and an argument against H1. Fine, but it is a net loss for the US. If more and more people are placed in these non-US sites, it further increases the importance of these sites (ie leads further hiring there). Tax revenue will also go there. In other words, economic growth happens elsewhere. This is why Detroit sucks. Companies are growing elsewhere (e.g in business-friendly Georgia instead of MI). Same is happening between US and other countries. We are driving businesses away.
I doubt the benefits to the US.