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H-1B Visas: U.S. Lawmaker Re-Introduces Bill to Tighten Rules

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Re: H-1B Visas: U.S. Lawmaker Re-Introduces Bill to Tighten Rules

#321

Post by yellow_viper »

winter_blue wrote: post #207
yellow_viper wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Green cards too. My family moved out of America a few months after my dads work had secured us greecards at a total of $350,000 (iirc - for the family of 7). These were voided as we didn't stay in the country long enough to validate them - what a waste.

How did it cost $350,000? That's an insane number.

Not sure this was over 10 years ago. A quick search shows that you used to be able to get a greencard through an 'investment' of $50k to the US. It's now risen to $1m but that may very well be how they secured them.

Re: H-1B Visas: U.S. Lawmaker Re-Introduces Bill to Tighten Rules

#322

Post by [deleted] »

politician wrote: post #243
ebbv wrote: post #72

We need to open our borders and let anyone who wants to come live and work in the US come here. Fear of foreigners is a poison in the heart of this country. Previous generations of immigrants have made the US what it is. The H1B program benefits the companies at the expense of the people for b.s. reasons. I say let anyone come here who wants to and if they can hold a job for 5 years and they pay taxes make them a cit…

This is a dangerous idea. Let everyone in, and then watch housing prices shoot to infinity. Let everyone in, and watch cities deteriorate into slums with the associated no-go areas and warlords. Let everyone in, let them drive wages to zero. Let everyone starve. This is what you're advocating? > Previous generations of immigrants have made the US what it is. Previous generations had a physical barrier in the form of…

[deleted]

Re: H-1B Visas: U.S. Lawmaker Re-Introduces Bill to Tighten Rules

#323

Post by ubernostrum »

vostok wrote: post #238
elevenfist wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Highly skilled workers do not receive cost of living adjustments. I've been recruited for jobs in low cost of living and high cost of living areas. The pay is the same in both when there is a true shortage of labor. Policy cannot be determined by anecdotes. > Company A wants to pay Engineer X $500k and Company B wants to pay Engineer Y $50k then clearly Company A has a greater need. Hardly a forgone conclusion, the…

> For example company B might not have the resources/revenue to outbid company A. If Company B doesn't have the resources to outbid Company A then we've decided, as a society, that whatever Company A is doing is more important that what Company B is doing. > Another counterexample of many for why an auction system is terrible: employee y could be a research scientist in industry contributing to the foundation of a ne…

then we've decided, as a society, that whatever Company A is doing is more important that what Company B is doing.

Congratulations, you've invented oligarchy!

Many tech startups are able to bid up wages not because they're "creating value", but because they have access to the pockets of a small number of venture capitalists. Which means that if you make VC-backed high salaries a necessary part of doing business, you've handed those VCs the literal authority to regulate commerce and decide who does and doesn't get to be in the market.

And last I checked, "have a small group decide which businesses are allowed to exist" is not considered a free market.

Re: H-1B Visas: U.S. Lawmaker Re-Introduces Bill to Tighten Rules

#324

Post by throwaway012017 »

As an employee on an H1B auth in the US, I cannot express my support for this bill enough. I'd support making the minimum required H1B wage $150K base, adjusted for living expenses.

God, I hate the stigma attached to mentioning what work auth I'm here on. Sadly I have to let my work show that all H1s are not created equal.

The image of the H1B program has been tarnished because it has been used to import people either for not-so-difficult jobs or lower costs, and, in some cases, misrepresentation of abilities.

This bill, if passed, will go a long way in rehabilitating the image of and correcting course for the H1B program. And THAT would be a weight lifted off the minds of truly deserving H1 beneficiaries who are ready to stand up to scrutiny and prove themselves worthy of a program meant for premium talent.

I agree with Congressman Issa on very little. This is something I wholeheartedly support and this Congress better be ready to have some serious justification if they don't pass this bill.

Re: H-1B Visas: U.S. Lawmaker Re-Introduces Bill to Tighten Rules

#326

Post by thecupisblue »

throwaway2017ab wrote: post #277
usaphp wrote: post #246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "I worked hard than the Americans for 3 years !. They pretty well knew I was an indentured servant and paid me 79K/annum. All salary raises and promotions were going to a handful of lazy Americans who rolls into the office whenever they wish." You seem to have a pretty aggressive attitude towards people whose country gave you job and paid much more than you were making in your home country. You also seem to have a…

> aggressive attitude towards people whose country gave you job Am I not paying taxes just like everyone else ? So should I bow down my head just because I worked in some country ? I worked legally & sincerely and paid taxes. I will stop my aggression if I am given back the extra taxes that I paid which I have no use of being a temporary worker. Also remember that this is not your country. The country belongs to nati…

> you will know that Americans generally are not ready to fix production bugs or grep log files or even do a maven release

Hilarious.

You didn't really learn english from what I can see. Your computer science degree doesn't mean shit. Your attitude tells me I wouldn't hire you even if you worked for free.

Re: H-1B Visas: U.S. Lawmaker Re-Introduces Bill to Tighten Rules

#327

Post by hocuspocus »

bbrian wrote: post #242
codeonfire wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is an "academic H1B?" Students get a F1 visa, people with real credentials get a J-1 or O-1 visa.

The J1 isn't comparable to the H1B – it's a 12 month visa which must be started within 12 months of graduation. There's also no suggestion of working in academia on a J1 – it's the "intern" visa. I'm on it now in San Francisco, with a view to getting a H1B.

J-1 isn't only for interns and trainees.

A lot of postdocs and researchers in universities and public labs are on a renewable (!) 2-year J-1, without quotas (in a for profit company the number of interns on a J-1 is limited). That's another visa that is vastly abused, but in a very different way :)

Re: H-1B Visas: U.S. Lawmaker Re-Introduces Bill to Tighten Rules

#328

Post by hocuspocus »

sytelus wrote: post #303

Two biggest improvements that can be made in H1B program: - Fill slots by sorting candidates with highest salaries instead of lottery - Allow H1B holders to change employers as long as they are paid same or higher salaries This will create amazing market competition and pay rise for everyone while making sure H1B holders don't get exploited by so called "body shoppers" taking away majority of their pay.

H-1B holders are already allowed to change employers. The issue lies within the Green Card application process that is extremely long for some nationalities.

An auction system sounds great but it would very heavily favor a handful of companies in the tech industry.

Re: H-1B Visas: U.S. Lawmaker Re-Introduces Bill to Tighten Rules

#329

Post by imtringued »

cmurf wrote: post #129
geebee wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure that I'm sympathetic to employers who want to pay less. Keep in mind, the US takes in well over a million immigrants a year, and has a huge internal workforce. The H1B was created to help employers find critical and highly skilled workers that are in desperately short supply in the US. "Oh, but we can't afford to pay them a lot of money, that's not fair!" isn't the sort of argument that tends to evoke mu…

Why is it OK to pay a cheap wage for work done by an outsourced employee not in the U.S. for the benefit of a U.S. customer; but suddenly not OK when that person is in the U.S.? If the answer is merely, a critical plurality doesn't like that market outcome and has voted to legislate an alternative outcome, well OK. That's the system we have. But on principle, this must be admitted to be protectionism, it's the anti-t…

Because h1b visas are not immigration. The foreign workers have almost no leverage and have to leave the country if they were fired and unemployed for a few weeks. Even if they start with market rate salaries over time they will earn less on average than an american citizen because they can't just leave their current employer and switch to a better paying job.

Re: H-1B Visas: U.S. Lawmaker Re-Introduces Bill to Tighten Rules

#330

Post by ousta »

fredophile wrote: post #298
shas3 wrote: post #231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh? Nothing precludes grooming skilled workers! Also, obviously, new hires can be highly skilled. Someone already skilled may fit better in one company than another, etc. etc.

H1Bs are intended to address skilled worker shortages. They exist so companies can fill important roles now. If someone is being groomed than they lack the skills required for the position they're being groomed for. Companies should either hire an H1B with the skills already, find someone local they can train or use a different visa to hire someone they can train.

have you already seen a few job offers in tech? The range of skills needed is very often pretty daunting and having a set of skills and hence being a skilled worker does not mean you will be abble to do 100% of the job without having the grooming part. whats the point for someone to go to a job where he will learn nothing? please...
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