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U.S. Changes Visa Process for High-Skilled Workers

wsj.com

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Re: U.S. Changes Visa Process for High-Skilled Workers

#311

Post by myegorov »

arcticbull wrote: post #135
mc32 wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’d say we reciprocate what their gov would do for our workers. Their gov makes easy for Americans, we make it easy for them. They make it hard on Americans trying to work in their country, we make it hard on them. Fair is fair.

See your argument is short sighted, as these people provide economic benefit, it’s in your interest to allow as many as you can in while the other countries aren’t interested in taking your best and brightest. It’s why Canada’s tech sector stands to gain hugely while America squanders its lead. Canada’s letting in anyone smart and technical and the US is telling them no. What were arguing for is being unfair in Ameri…

I don't know about what's in America's favor. I know for a fact that I would not willingly compete with all software developers in a global marketplace. I'd lose my big4 job in a split second. Canada's tech sector may stand to gain, but I'd lose half my real income if I were to relocate to a sister office across the border. So much for progressive visa policy.

Re: U.S. Changes Visa Process for High-Skilled Workers

#312

Post by olalonde »

tossaccount123 wrote: post #167
femiagbabiaka wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Software engineering isn’t most professions. Salaries have been going up more than a decade accounting for inflation. If 10 million software engineers dropped in Silicon Valley, a lot of things would happen (for one there’s nowhere for them to live). But that’s not what’s happening.

It was hyperbole to show the effect of supply and demand More and more I notice how similar software engineers are beginning to sound like the "Made in America" factory workers who said China could never do their job. Never take the present comfy situation for granted

More and more? I recall software engineers were panicked over outsourcing just over 15 years ago. Have you watched Office Space? This is not a new phenomenon.

Re: U.S. Changes Visa Process for High-Skilled Workers

#313

Post by wolco »

e3b0c wrote: post #309
tossaccount123 wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>To prime your intuition a bit, consider how woman and minorities more than doubled the work force from the 1960s to 1990s with no loss in jobs or lowering of wages. You do realize there hasn't been a raise in real wages since the 70s when you account for inflation right? Coincidentally during that same time period the income gap exploded because the wealthy had plentiful cheap labor and were able to pocket the produ…

That would probably be true if all other conditions held constant. However, Silicon Valley can pay handsome money because many companies located there run well and outperform their competitors for a fertile global market. And those companies can beat their competitors because (at least part of the reasons) they have the best talents available. If the skilled engineers from China, European, India all went back to thei…

If labor/labour supply doubled wages would drop for most of the market.

Re: U.S. Changes Visa Process for High-Skilled Workers

#315

Post by Qworg »

rhexs wrote: post #302
Qworg wrote: post #279

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even at wages closing in on 3x minimum wage, we cannot get enough farm labor[1] - obviously low skilled American labor still doesn't want the job. What's the solution? [1] https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-fi-farms-immigration/

Pay more, else go out of business. Why do I, the American taxpayer, need to subsidize already heavily subsidized farmers?

How are you subsidizing them? You're getting cheap food - truck crop farming is notoriously low margin. Are you prepared for $15/pint strawberries?

Re: U.S. Changes Visa Process for High-Skilled Workers

#316

Post by seanmcdirmid »

what_ever wrote: post #194
seanmcdirmid wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

H1B's are immigrant visas, they terminate in greencards after one renewal. The only problem is that a few countries have long lines (India, China, Philippines) on how many greencards can be granted this way per year. That should be done away with.

They don't "terminate" in GC but rest of your comment is correct.

They terminate in a GC or you go home. Only one renewal, not like the work visa I had in China that could be renewed indefinitely with no path to permanent residency.

Re: U.S. Changes Visa Process for High-Skilled Workers

#317

Post by rajacombinator »

H1B is indentured servitude, that’s why corporate America loves it. This measure will do nothing but increase masters mill programs, punishing both smart immigrants and Americans. Basically, another brutal, but expected, betrayal of campaign promises by the hapless Trump administration.

Re: U.S. Changes Visa Process for High-Skilled Workers

#318

Post by fipple »

humbleMouse wrote: post #176
joshe wrote: post #94

I've worked with a few H1-B holders in Silicon Valley and they're awesome. A great improvement would be to allow H1B holders to change jobs easily (maybe after a year). It's too easy for them to get stuck in not great situations. It would be great for everyone if they could move to better fitting jobs, especially for startups who have trouble running H1-B programs. If you are, like me, a software engineer, you should…

> I've worked with a few H1-B holders in Silicon Valley and they're awesome. To counter your anecdote, I've worked with countless H1-B's over the years, and while a handful have been awesome most of them are absolutely terrible.

In Silicon Valley? I've observed that the H-1Bs in Silicon Valley are extraordinarily high skill while the Infosys bodyshoppers are out in Des Moines and Cleveland.

Re: U.S. Changes Visa Process for High-Skilled Workers

#319

Post by mdorazio »

joshe wrote: post #94

I've worked with a few H1-B holders in Silicon Valley and they're awesome. A great improvement would be to allow H1B holders to change jobs easily (maybe after a year). It's too easy for them to get stuck in not great situations. It would be great for everyone if they could move to better fitting jobs, especially for startups who have trouble running H1-B programs. If you are, like me, a software engineer, you should…

And if you're in IT consulting like me instead of a software engineer, you absolutely should not cheer every immigrant. Many people wrongly assume that most H1B visas go to truly high-skilled individuals working at large tech companies. This is not the case. Take a look at the numbers in [1]. The top 5 companies bringing H1B workers are doing so specifically to outsource IT functions at lower cost than US workers. These H1B workers are absolutely taking away jobs and higher salaries from Americans who would like to do this work if it paid more.

What we need is to revamp the H1B system to be bid-based rather than lottery-based so it can actually fulfill its intent of bringing in workers that are truly needed rather than workers that are convenient.

[1] http://fortune.com/2017/08/03/companies-h1b-visa-holders/

Re: U.S. Changes Visa Process for High-Skilled Workers

#320

Post by travisoneill1 »

zjaffee wrote: post #228
travisoneill1 wrote: post #56

They should assign limits based on salary, lets say 150% of industry standard, not education level. There is no measure of skill less meaningful than a degree.

This would weirdly exert a greater downward pressure on salaries, as companies will have a higher supply of higher skill workers rather than just workers as a whole.

How would this be a greater downward pressure than now where H1B's are used to undercut?
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