Posted on 04/08/2009 11:49:25 AM PDT by algernonpj
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on April 8 it has received enough H-1B applications to meet the congressionally mandated cap of 85,000 H-1B visas for fiscal year 2009. The H-1B visas are given to foreign workers in “specialty occupations” (science, engineering, law, medicine, computer programming, etc.) where U.S. employers have filed petitions claiming there are not qualified U.S. applicants to fill the jobs.
The total current 85,000 includes an annual 65,000 “cap” and an additional 20,000 exemptions for applicants with advanced degrees. If precedent holds, other exemptions will add tens of thousands more; in 2008 the number of H-1B visas, including exemptions, totaled about 122,000.
The 85,000 H-1B visas about equal the number of domestic tech workers laid off recently. MarketWatch.com reported on April 6 that “high-tech companies announced job cuts totaling 84,217 in the first quarter,” the steepest reduction since the fourth-quarter lay-offs of 2002. “The latest decline follows 66,312 reported layoffs in the 2008 fourth,” the MarketWatch report continued, noting job cuts “have risen five straight quarters.” That, of course, is but part of the job-loss picture; nearly ten times that number of workers were laid off, in all occupations, during the month of March. The U.S. economy lost 663,000 jobs in March and the unemployment rate shot up to a 26-year high of 8.5 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Thanks. The New American Usually does not make errors like that. I quickly checked the USCIS web page and admit I did not notice the date at the bottom. But I’ve become convinced a lot of government documentation purposely is both ‘hidden’ in plain sight, and presented in a confusing manner.
Nonetheless, 84,217 job cuts were announced and the 85,000 will be reached, sooner rather than later. The cutoff was reached on April 8, in 2008, on April 2, in 2007, an May 6, in 2006.
‘Trust me, these contractors do not have nearly the skills they pretend to.’
.
I have a friend who was told by the H-1B’s that he was going to be replaced by them because he was ‘a stupid lazy American’.
These same H-1B’s were responsible for a major billing error, that cost the company millions.
“You mean one of those messes like when I call and can’t understand a word they’re saying so I demand to talk to someone in the United States who speaks clear fluent English? ;-):
.
I’m glad I’m not the only one doing that.
‘How long until a laid-off U.S. techie decides to take it out on his office full of H1-Bs?’
.
Better that than what happened to Kevin Flanagan.
Of course, the MSM would blame it on the gun that picked itself up, loaded itself, marched off to the office, bypassed security, and proceed to kill for no apparent reason.
/sarc
You couldn't be more wrong. Just read the posts on illegal immigration. Read the posts on trade with China. Conservatives and FReepers are the only ones standing up to this stuff. When the Kennedy immigration bill was a sure thing and certain to pass, who do you think came out of nowhere at the 11th hour to defeat it? Go talk to Kennedy, Pelosi, Reid and the other Democrats. They are the ones trying to destroy the middle class.
I think you would be surprised at some of our Benedict FReepers....
H-1B Want Ads Show that American Corporations are Giving 1st Crack at US Jobs to Foreign Workers
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2219914/posts
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I make no excuses for conditions created by ill-conceived laws. There is much room for debate on how to control the availability of skilled workers. However, I will not expect a business owner to pay a higher salary for less skill when his competition is not required to do the same. Any American that thinks they are entitled to a domestic job better get used to being unemployed.
48 posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 2:55:52 PM by Niteranger68
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Don’t blame me for foreigners beating you out of a job, perhaps, they found those foreigners more attractive while you appeared closer to “The Ugly American”, metaphysically speaking, of course.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugly_American
43 posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 2:20:28 PM by A. Morgan (Every night I pray that Rezko and Blago roll over on Obama!)
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I refuse to believe that Americans cannot be retrained or that there is simply not enough technology and engineering types available to fill these positions.
Then you are living in denial. I’m an IT recruiter at one of the largest software companies in the world. There are nowhere nearly enough US citizens to do the work we need. Most American college students are majoring in liberal arts.
50 posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 3:17:10 PM by Rocky Mountain High
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“using FORIEGNERS BEFORE QUALIFIED AMERICANS to boost their lines”
These anti-capitalist rants seem to get more common in this forum. Maybe it is time to merge with anarchist & Michael Moore fansites? Clearly, there is a lot of common ground.
The purpose of any company is to make money. End of story. Otherwise, they are doomed. No, corporations do not exist to make “social good”, “combat climate change” or “generate jobs for americans” etc. At least profit-generating corporations don’t. Maybe Obama will change that. All corporations exists for the State and report to the State.
I have no idea where you have worked abroad. Since you refer to World Cup, take a look at English Premiership. Most coaches and players in top teams are foreigners.
There are a lot of americans working abroad. Typically, they are the most qualified americans. In other words, if they have to return home (because similar anti-foreigner mood abroad), they will often take jobs for current US citizens. I’ve seen this first hand, ie returning US expats taking jobs away from current less senior US workers.
This socialist ACORN-crap does not really help anybody.
49 posted on Wednesday, April 01, 2009 3:05:15 PM by heiss
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Evidently you didn’t read my post to you. I am well aware that we have a small number of libertarians and Giuliani/Romney type “economic conservatives” here.
You made the mistake of mislabeling freerepublic as pro immigration which is ridiculous.
You were mistaken.
““Alas, your conservative brethren here on FR feel it is their right as business owners to import cheap labor and that they shouldn’t be forced to pay an “American salary.””
My intent was to point out the fact that some on this forum find the selling out of their American brethren an acceptable practice not to paint everyone as pro-immigration.
We have no quarrel.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Why not remove the artificial barriers to entry for Accounting, Law, and whatever else. Do away with state board certification requirements. And then lets see how everyone feels about this issue.
As someone in the tech industry who has to deal with the threat of H1b employees everyday, I’d like the other professions to open up their markets to immigrants who’d like to do their jobs for one half the price.
Something tells me they’ve got some great law schools in India. It would be a great line to throw back at the liberal dems.
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