Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay • Hacker News Board

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#571

Post by dasudasu » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 2:11 AM UTC

ravila4 wrote: post #434

I feel like this thread has a lot of bias coming from bad experiences in the computer science field. While I do understand the bad practices of many tech companies, I think the picture is very different when you look at careers in other STEM fields, such as biology, chemistry, and physics. H1B visas are very important for foreign students in these fields particularly those hoping to pursue careers in academia. H1B vi…

Postdocs are not even on H1B the vast majority of the time, because it's considered academic training. It's possible to get on a H1B if everything has been exhausted, but never the preferred option.

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#572

Post by ineedasername » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 2:11 AM UTC

systemvoltage wrote: post #486

WillPostForFood wrote: post #460

Earlier quoted context omitted.

bias coming from bad experiences in the computer science field https://www.myvisajobs.com/Reports/2020-H1B-Visa-Category.as... It isn't bias, just look at the H1B distribution, it heavily biased to the CS/IT space. Like for every possible biologist you are imagining, there probably 100 IT/CS guys coming in. I'd love to have the biologists and chemists come in, but the big IT consultancies are massively abusing the sy…

Why? Are there more jobs for Biologists than Computer Scientists/Developers/Programmers? It looks like this is a response based on demand . Why in the world would you want more biologists when there isn't market demand for them? This is mostly wishful romanticization of particular "underdog" areas of studies. Makes no sense to me. Even more preposterous is the parent's profound claim: > I feel like this thread has a…

It's not necessarily a demand issue. It may be that companies are abusing the system to gain more such workers. I've certainly been part of hiring searches where qualified US candidates didn't get the job. It often came down to money. I'm in a higher cost of living area, so salaries tend to be higher than average. But the company was offering lower than the national average, much lower than the local average. The candidates from the US were often offered the job, then turned it down because the pay was so low.

"I can't afford or don't want to pay market rate salaries" isn't supposed to be a valid reason to grant an H1B visa.

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#573

Post by CinchWrench » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 2:11 AM UTC

guitarbill wrote: post #22

airstrike wrote: post #4

Link to DHS press release: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2020/10/06/department-homeland-secu... Probably a better link than the WSJ submission – even though I'm a subscriber, I want the facts, and the facts seem to be hard to find As a matter of fact, I still haven't found the actual "interim final rule" (an oxymoron if I've ever seen one), so if anyone has a link, I'd be immensely grateful EDIT: Here's the unpublished ru…

This was already the case, they would ask for a request for evidence (RFE) how the degree was related. This is annoying if you e.g. studied maths and then started working in IT.

I've seen this abused so badly though--our compliance person in HR was asking me to help write one a while back for a candidate that had a BS in mechanical engineering and no relevant work experience, claiming that a course the applicant had that taught MATLAB was sufficient experience for a role as an android dev.

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#574

Post by dodobirdlord » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 2:12 AM UTC

not_a_moth wrote: post #293

victor106 wrote: post #46

I finally agree with something this administration is doing. This is a solid move. H1B has been/is being abused by all companies (big and small) for a number of years at the cost of not only American workers but also the visa holders. The only ones benefiting are the companies that sponsor H1B visas by suppressing wages for everyone. I just hope the new administration don't role back these changes. Typically when a n…

Curious, you didn't agree with the ME work that got 3 nobel peace prize nominations?

Nobel peace prize nominations don’t mean much.

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#575

Post by CinchWrench » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 2:13 AM UTC

glennpratt wrote: post #265

victor106 wrote: post #46

I finally agree with something this administration is doing. This is a solid move. H1B has been/is being abused by all companies (big and small) for a number of years at the cost of not only American workers but also the visa holders. The only ones benefiting are the companies that sponsor H1B visas by suppressing wages for everyone. I just hope the new administration don't role back these changes. Typically when a n…

> H1B has been/is being abused by all companies (big and small) I don't see this exactly. I have worked with multiple, brilliant visa holders. Many of them have moved on to bigger and better things. Presumably paying a huge amount in taxes for the privilege. Most software developers I know are not making what I would deem suppressed wages, especially in the current conditions (and I don't have an SV job). Most firms…

Want to know how I know you work for a good company?

Be grateful! Not all of us are so lucky!

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#576

Post by jupp0r » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 2:13 AM UTC

Note that this not only applies to H1B visas but also to employment based green card applications (PERM). This will prevent lots of people from getting their green cards (if not shut down by courts).

I’m currently in the process of applying for a green card. This really sucks because I’m relatively young, just moved to the US from Germany 3 years ago and thus probably not in the upper 5% percentile for Staff Software Engineers in my area (surprise surprise). It’s disheartening to see so many negative comments here on HN. This does not apply only to staffing agencies but to most people in tech that don’t have a green card.

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#577

Post by bpmooch » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 2:13 AM UTC

jl2718 wrote: post #529

madars wrote: post #440

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are two unpublished rules. DHS rule that you mention ( https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2020-22347... ; goes in effect in 60 days) and DOL rule establishing the percentiles ( https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/oflc/pdfs/DOL-Int... ; goes in effect this week).

That is insanely complicated. I know it would cost a lot of governmemt jobs to simplify, but, why not just a lottery for a set number? Or a set salary floor? One thing I don’t understand is the ridiculously low “entry level” wage set at 17%. Those are the jobs we need to protect the most to get disadvantaged americans into the pipeline. 17% is the zone of broad mis-classification, like a ‘computer systems analyst’ th…

The complexity of the system acts a deterrent to applications. The point is is to force H-1B's to exist as a lever you start pulling when your business depends on it, not as labor force optimizations for capital-flush companies.

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#578

Post by sjg007 » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 2:14 AM UTC

mrkstu wrote: post #251

jsnk wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This will elevate the income of low paying H1B workers, but also decrease the income of average paid American workers. If the market has an abundance of low paying workers, the market overall will pay workers lower.

That is the opposite of what is likely. The elevation of wages for a H1B will mean the average wage in that category of work will increase, for everyone in that segment. What you suggest only makes sense if there is a fixed pot of money in the economy for all wages, which isn’t the case.

The onus here would be on the us citizen to find out how much an equivalent H1B is being paid and asking for that much money. It's not guaranteed.

You can do that though: https://h1bdata.info/index.php?year=2019

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#579

Post by yters » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 2:14 AM UTC

systemvoltage wrote: post #486

WillPostForFood wrote: post #460

Earlier quoted context omitted.

bias coming from bad experiences in the computer science field https://www.myvisajobs.com/Reports/2020-H1B-Visa-Category.as... It isn't bias, just look at the H1B distribution, it heavily biased to the CS/IT space. Like for every possible biologist you are imagining, there probably 100 IT/CS guys coming in. I'd love to have the biologists and chemists come in, but the big IT consultancies are massively abusing the sy…

Why? Are there more jobs for Biologists than Computer Scientists/Developers/Programmers? It looks like this is a response based on demand . Why in the world would you want more biologists when there isn't market demand for them? This is mostly wishful romanticization of particular "underdog" areas of studies. Makes no sense to me. Even more preposterous is the parent's profound claim: > I feel like this thread has a…

I think there is something weird going on. I am heavily involved in my company's staffing process, and the vast majority of the referrals we get from our recruiting sources are from overseas (and often cheat and have cruddy IT skills).

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#580

Post by aksss » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 2:16 AM UTC

thowaway23413 wrote: post #557

R0b0t1 wrote: post #539

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>H1B visas are very important for foreign students in these fields particularly those hoping to pursue careers in academia. I don't care. It's not the US's job to educate the world. Until someone helps me get into university again I don't give a rat's ass about foreign students coming in. Those students are typically in the higher earning income brackets for their countries.

Buddy, you gotta help yourself get into and pay for university. Why should a university give a "rat's ass" about you when a foreign student will pay more?

Or when they can use foreign students as a ridiculously cheaper labor pool.