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USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

bloomberg.com

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Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#111

Post by angersock »

cyphar wrote: post #65
angersock wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> clean the water he drank for 24 years, I mean, arguably neither did the Chinese, depending on where you are and how much they've let pollution occur in that area. I think you are grossly overestimating both the value of these immigrants (it isn't hard to see how much garbage science gets published abroad and how useless a good chunk of international students are) and the entire mechanism for technological improveme…

> it isn't hard to see how much garbage science and how useless a good chunk of international students are That statement is true of any group of students, international or local. On the other hand, there are good international students (and there are good local students). Is there any reason why you think the ratio isn't the same (in fact, you'd think that the ratio of good international students would be higher bec…

I agree that that statement is absolutely applicable to "native" students as well! And there are definitely some outstanding international students!

The author I was replying though doesn't seem to differentiate though, for example, between graduate students coming here to do research and learn cutting-edge things and undergraduates who have wealthy families that export them abroad because of course that's what one does.

You've also kind of nailed another issue on the head: it is more profitable, per student, for universities to bring in international students than to teach local ones. This in turn leads to an increase in pricing for everybody (though probably not as much as due to student loan availability, but that's a different thing) and weird campus behavior to accommodate valued country officials (local school of Rice University, for example, hiding Taiwanese flags during a visit by mainlanders).

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#113

Post by axiom92 »

1024core wrote: post #50

The solution is simple: rank the H1B applicants by descending order of wages, and take the top 65K. Period. Done. End of story. No more abuse.

Spot on. The only catch is that there may be industries who genuinely need H1Bs but cannot match the pay grade; a corner case may be added for them.

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#114

Post by and0 »

bischofs wrote: post #96
and0 wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We're not at the highest point (compared to 1920s) but might be by 2023. We're a very young nation of immigrants, so I find it odd that you wouldn't retroactively apply the grievances about cultural shifts to all the generations that came previously.

That is a good point, however most of the immigrants in the 1920s were from europe. Now that is not the case, they are mostly from asia and southeast asia. There is an argument that there is enough of a cultural difference for it to affect the country one way or another.

You know, HN usually slaps me on the wrist for insinuating that someone is a white nationalist, which is why I was pretty low key about it, so.. thanks for just coming out and admitting it, I guess?

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#115

Post by creaghpatr »

BatFastard wrote: post #105
smsm42 wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the US is lagging far behind every developed nation in education I'd like to hear the list of places doing far better than MIT, Caltech, Stanford, Berkeley, etc. in STEM fields. I mean I know there are pretty good schools around, but can you really say MIT is "lagging far behind" them? > higher education in the US is prohibitively expensive That's because when you buy "higher education" in US you buy something enti…

Totally correct! Most education comparisons are Apples to Samsungs. While the national average might not be the highest, the top students are amazing!

Not to mention volume- the US has way more chances to develop the next genius from sheer numbers alone. Works the same way with Olympic sports.

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#116

Post by bsimpson »

vostok wrote: post #66
majormajor wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even established companies not in the obviously-sleazy Tata/Infosys abuse buckets play games here. "Write up job description consisting of specialty skills your H1B candidate already has, but that you don't need in your company in that role, then use them as a generic webdev" type stuff.

I recently saw a job advertisement for a front office role at a major bank that literally included the person's name.

They'd already printed up name placards for Sam Fakename, so it was really important that they could reuse those for the next candidate.

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#117

Post by outworlder »

This is not only happening to H1-B Visas. I am on L1 Visa and got an RFE as well. Lawyers said that they have seen a large increase in such requests.

I am in charge of production systems which, if they go down for any significant amount of time, can represent hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue. This is a very niche system(networking-related), not your usual run of the mill web app. My salary is in the 6 digit range (and I have got multiple raises since then). I have got awards from my company for work I have and am doing.

Still got an RFE. Now, I'll have to dig into payslips from my home country, get letters from former managers overseas, justify one more time all the skills (which I already did multiple times), provide org charts(from the current and previous position), and so on. I believe I have a pretty strong case, but it's a very stressful process. All this to be allowed to continue doing the stuff that was previously approved. And, unless I apply for a green card, I can stay for 5 years max. So why make it even harder? There's already an expiration date.

And I can't drive while this is going on (DMV wants the approved extension). Fun times.

The US is a great country; I feel that some "natives" have no idea how great it is, despite all its quirks. And, for engineers, the allure of Silicon Valley is too great – everything of notice is happening here. I have chosen to come here, and I knew that I need to jump through some hoops and prove my worth, to both the country and the company. But at some point, you start questioning if it is worth it.

Can an American do my job? Absolutely – if you can find one with the right skillset that's willing to join. This position was open for MONTHS before the company even considered hiring from outside the country. They tried increasing the offers too, no takers, at least not qualified ones. The problem is that at some point all the companies can do is to poach from one another.

Can you improve things with education? Yes. Do you want to avoid immigration altogether? Why would you, when you can hire the best brains from anywhere in the planet?

The problem is that there are companies heavily abusing the system. But they are a handful, and they should get the hammer. That's from a rational perspective though, not a politically motivated one.

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#118

Post by rrhd »

jarsin wrote: post #15
Terr_ wrote: post #5

The particular anecdote in this article almost seems anti-convincing to me... It suggests a job that should get challenged: > For Centro, a company in Chicago that makes technology for ad agencies [...] applied for visas for three young employees who already had the legal right to work for a limited time after graduating from college. > To Clark's eyes, the position — which consisted of writing algorithms and require…

Yup cant stand journalism today. Straight up mouthpiece for the rich. Why did they not ask the company what the wage for that position is. How many people in Chicago did they interview. Did they interview anyone over 50 who has that exact experience? Did they approach anyone currently working in similar jobs and offer them raises and other benefits to entice them over? Truth is the Company did none of those things so…

> Did they interview anyone over 50 who has that exact experience

probably not. Why would they interview that person for what sounds like an entry level position?

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#119

Post by davidw »

CydeWeys wrote: post #99
xraystyle wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The stated purpose of the H1-B program is to allow companies to fill vacancies with international applicants if they are unable to find US employees qualified for the roles. I've never heard any sane, rational person object to this use case. The issue most people have is that the program seems to be rampantly abused. Companies are replacing US workers with H1-B's sourced from companies like Tata and Infosys at much l…

So why not simply stop granting any H-1Bs to rampant abusers like Tata and Infosys, while leaving more H-1Bs to go around for the non-abusers? What they're up to is very widely known.

Why bother with a fixed number at all?

http://johnhcochrane.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-optimal-number...

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#120

Post by addicted »

majormajor wrote: post #34
xraystyle wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The stated purpose of the H1-B program is to allow companies to fill vacancies with international applicants if they are unable to find US employees qualified for the roles. I've never heard any sane, rational person object to this use case. The issue most people have is that the program seems to be rampantly abused. Companies are replacing US workers with H1-B's sourced from companies like Tata and Infosys at much l…

Even established companies not in the obviously-sleazy Tata/Infosys abuse buckets play games here. "Write up job description consisting of specialty skills your H1B candidate already has, but that you don't need in your company in that role, then use them as a generic webdev" type stuff.

Yeah because wanting someone who has worked in your company for 3-5 years and has an in depth knowledge of the job and the internal Dynamics of the company is obviously the exact equivalent of someone who has experience in the 3-4 specific headline technologies whether they are good or not at that is a terrible idea.

The alternative of an H1B is not an American. It's off shoring the entire project to a team that doesn't live in the US in the first place.

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