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Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

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Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#291

Generally not supposed to say this out loud, but being the only American on an all H1B team at these companies can be absolutely brutal. Very alienating, always missing out on back channel communications, no sympathy for missteps

[flagged]

Right, visas that are tied to jobs give the employers too much power over the employees.

But do you know what other American thing that's also tied to jobs? Health insurance. American health insurance is also modern slavery.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#292
post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the H1B program is really this bad, and if everyone involved is truly morally compromised, would it be better for the US to shut the H1B program down completely?

Surely you can think of something more nuanced than that extreme option? You can fix the visa program such that you can attract the most talented immigrants and treat them with respect for the contributions they make to your society?

I’m proposing an extreme option in response to the extreme criticism. If the US in enslaving people, we should stop that immediately.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#293
post #6

Most of these cuts haven’t targeted tech talent, so this isn’t really contradictory in any way.

What headlines have you been reading that make you think the many thousands of workers cut were all not tech talent?

Headlines say tech firms and imply engineers. Articles say it’s mostly the business folks at the tech firms.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#294

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know plenty of US families who gross less than 50k. They live comfortably, but not extravagantly, and not in California. I also know a handful of people who make less than $25k/yr. They struggle more, but they still get by. $50k/yr, $25/hr may be chump change to a big tech company engineer with a degree from a prestigious university, but it's a very normal hourly (non-overtime) wage (maybe even on the high side) fo…

I think I'm out of touch then. I thought US had high cost of living everywhere and that people would struggle financially unless they made about $100k per year. At least that's the impression I got while reading salary discussions here. Is this only true in big cities? Is this true at all?

I live in Florida. Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville are our largest cities, with Jacksonville being the most populous (though it's only #20 nationally.)

Median household income in Florida is $62k/yr. This includes the 13% of our population of 22 million who are in poverty and the about 7% on government food assistance (SNAP). I have personally lived on less than $20k/year as a younger, single man with low cost housing.

Florida is in the bottom third of states by median household income. DC, Maryland, and some of the northeastern states have median household income in the high-80s to just over $90k, but no state in the US is at $100k median. California is at $85k/yr.

To answer your question, HN has a higher than average population of young, childless, city-dwelling people with good education, well-paying careers, and relatively expensive tastes ($8+ cups of coffee, etc.) If they suddenly made the median salary for their state, they would likely struggle financially for a bit.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#295
post #290
post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know you're joking but some people actually think that way and it's so disgusting. No borders no nations no walls

Do you have walls and doors in your house?

Idiotic argument, nobody's house is 3.7 million sq miles, nor do 350 million people live in anybody's "house".

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#296
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

> H1B at big tech is modern slavery that's putting it too far - they are free to leave or quit as they wish. Unlike the true modern slavery of which is migrant workers (like described here https://www.antislavery.org/world-cup-2022-the-reality-for-m... ), where their passports are confiscated, etc. H1B is exploiting the rules for cheap labour. It does benefit the H1B holder - since they would otherwise not have signe…

Suppressing wages is one thing but imagine the pressures to behave unethically where bidded.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#297

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Therefore you are saying that having diversity leads to bullying and that you’re ok with that. It’s always the goal, after all.

That’s actually the opposite of what they’re saying. Lack of diversity leads to bullying.

It isn’t the “opposite” because this isn’t a binary situation. There is a spectrum. If the group members were all from the same place it wouldn’t be an issue either. If everyone is from different places it isn’t an issue. If many are from one place and some aren’t, then it is an issue.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#298
post #275

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your premise is flawed. If I create a new nation and my nations social contact is one norm: no outsiders, then you can't simply be a national by agreeing to the contract. In practice, nations prioritize their own citizens, in the same way you will prioritize your family. Do you abandon taking care of your family because it would be "more fair," to take care of someone on the other side of the planet? Your countrymen…

The problem you’re ignoring is that there is not a 1:1 correlation between citizenship and people who agree to the social contract. Everyone who gives up freedom to the state is entering into a social contract with that state, citizenship or no. Once those people enter into that contract, they deserve all of the rights and services the contract provides. By tying the contract to citizenship, you provide a way for rac…

Preach it fellow human. I sometimes am baffled by how little a damn people in privileged positions can give about others. All they're interested in is preserving their position of privilege, and their political views and philosophy on life will typically reflect that. Personally I would give citizenship and a free house to any good hearted hard working individual and not give a damn where they come from. Our whole society would benefit if we didn't have to waste so much of our brain power just on surviving.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#299

I mean, no kidding. Half the people I work with are H-1B. The program takes jobs away from Americans and should be illegal. I want to work with people from my town, not people from halfway across the world.

> I want to work with people from my town, not people from halfway across the world. And I want to work with the brightest people from all over the world. I guess we are at an impasse and are best off leaving subjective preferences out...

Do you want to work with them even if that means a lower salary? Surely, since you’re among the “brightest in the world” you understand that labor prices are set by supply and demand. The H1B process increases the labor supply and thus decreases the price of labor.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#300

Generally not supposed to say this out loud, but being the only American on an all H1B team at these companies can be absolutely brutal. Very alienating, always missing out on back channel communications, no sympathy for missteps

Say what you want—what do you think these H1B teams are saying about the Americans?
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