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Andrew Ng: The suspension of H1B is bad for the US and bad for innovation

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Re: Andrew Ng: The suspension of H1B is bad for the US and bad for innovation

#201
post #5

H1B is terrible for the employees, and for those who work alongside them. Companies try to slow down green cards, and use H1Bs as virtual indentured servants. They also fake looking for Americans- in practice, many of the jobs are earmarked for a specific person, and you are wasting your time applying for it. Losing your job as an h1b requires you to leave almost immediately, which isn't great for anyone. Hopefully t…

While this is true and H1B can be reformed, it's still a better option than having your dreams crushed because now you're stuck in your home country where job perspectives aren't great.

Re: Andrew Ng: The suspension of H1B is bad for the US and bad for innovation

#202
post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yeah no. that’s not how life works. we like to believe that we are all equal and interchangeable but the reality is that if you’re comparing the quality of people that come in on an H1B in tech with the average joe in the US you’re going to have a brutal awakening. most people that have the skills have a job.

The H1B worker isn't competing with the average Joe, he's competing with the Joe who's qualified to do the job, but didn't get it because the employer preferred someone with no leverage who can be easily controlled and underpaid.

do you know how expensive is to bring someone on an H1B? the relocation itself is >50k. The salary has to be in the same range as the other workers in the same position. It’s literally more expensive to hire someone on an H1b. why would big tech so this if average Joe is qualified and could do the Job?

Re: Andrew Ng: The suspension of H1B is bad for the US and bad for innovation

#203
post #71
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately the reality is that there is absolutely no one who is interested in pushing a visa scheme like this. Employers are not interested in going through effort and paperwork for an employee who can jump ship for a better offer down the street once they are in the country. Other employees are not interested in increasing the supply of similar labor that will drive down their market value. The only ones who are…

I’d rather not give my employer the ability to abuse my H-1B coworkers. Why should they hire someone who can walk to a competitor at the drop of a hat when they can hire someone that will probably be deported if they step out of line or demand market-rate compensation? (Also, many of my friends have/had H-1B’s...)

> Why should they hire someone who can walk to a competitor at the drop of a hat

Because free markets are better ? or so has been the message by US towards other countries

Re: Andrew Ng: The suspension of H1B is bad for the US and bad for innovation

#204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

this is the type of short time thinking that gets you in trouble. you’re not wrong that you’re going to do great for a while but when big tech starts moving operations overseas or in Canada you will see the macro result of this - and you’re not gonna like it

Short time means 10-20 years, plenty of time for me to sort things out for myself.

yeah. let’s go back to coal. global warming is not gonna be this bad in the next 10-20 years. plenty of time to sort things out. plenty o time!

Re: Andrew Ng: The suspension of H1B is bad for the US and bad for innovation

#205
post #4

As an intended MBA applicant for the class of 2021, the recent uncertainty around H1B visas makes me very uneasy and disappointed. I was forced to leave the U.S. back in 2016 despite having an investment banking job and paying meaningful taxes, which was incredibly frustrating. I was hoping for another shot at living and working in the US after completing an MBA, and now it looks like there either won't be a chance o…

> I am now seriously considering avoiding U.S. schools altogether and applying for top business schools in Europe such as LBS and INSEAD.

Why did you not do that in the first place? I'm legitimately asking because I want to leave the US for Europe or Australia / New Zealand. I'm a US citizen having immigrated here at an early age. I've dreamed of leaving the US for years now, so I like to understand what draws so many people here still compared to the other options?

Re: Andrew Ng: The suspension of H1B is bad for the US and bad for innovation

#207
post #162
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What would a bond accomplish? It seems easily gamed by say an insurance company that would pay the bond for premiums.

The bond would serve two purposes. The first purpose is to pay for background checks and any costs that the immigrant might incur in the USA. (For example it would pay for deportation if the immigrant broke the law.) The second is to serve as proof that the immigrant is enough in demand that the government should believe we get a net positive from their admission to the USA. And not exactly onerous proof - it is only…

Companies already pay for background checks etc... Applying for an H1B is not free.

Re: Andrew Ng: The suspension of H1B is bad for the US and bad for innovation

#208

Most of the stuff Trump has done in the name of "America first" has restricted economic freedom for Americans. Tariffs make it more costly for American importers to do business, and restrictions on immigrations deprive American firms of the freedom to hire the most qualified candidate. It is incredibly ironic that anyone views these moves to restrict freedom as beneficial to "America". They simply create small advant…

If you read the comments in this forum, you will immediately see how he gets support for these myopic actions. Everything from reneging from international treaties and institutions to long term policies that have been shown to benefit the country are axed for short term political gain at the polls. And the people, even on this forum, are duped by it.

Re: Andrew Ng: The suspension of H1B is bad for the US and bad for innovation

#209
post #54
post #5

H1B is terrible for the employees, and for those who work alongside them. Companies try to slow down green cards, and use H1Bs as virtual indentured servants. They also fake looking for Americans- in practice, many of the jobs are earmarked for a specific person, and you are wasting your time applying for it. Losing your job as an h1b requires you to leave almost immediately, which isn't great for anyone. Hopefully t…

It's hard to convey to a citizen how demoralizing being on an H1B is. If you get laid off, you have at best 30 days to find a new job and transfer your visa (from what I remember), otherwise you have to leave the country . H1B does not allow moonlighting. You can't start a startup by yourself. You can't take significant time off between jobs unless you transfer your visa and negotiate it. Your spouse likely won't be…

if you live in a city for several years and settle in, form friendships, hobbies, and maybe relationships

I suddenly find myself wondering if the path to reform for H1B could be short duration combine with some kind of fast-track naturalization. Does it even make sense for the transactional H1B to be so long term?

If the H1B led to rapid naturalization, it would naturally curtail use of H1B over time, as the US population of individuals suited for the job would be growing ipso facto.

Re: Andrew Ng: The suspension of H1B is bad for the US and bad for innovation

#210
Wow, amount of discrimination in the comments here reminds of facebook political discussions.

It's basically "I've once worked for a company with H1B, and it was a scam. Ergo all H1Bs are scam, should be eliminated ASAP, and they should go back to their own country!". Sadly, progressives and tolerance ends when it's touching your wallet.

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