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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

#381
post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not American and don’t live in America (I presume by “America” you mean the United States?), but shouldn’t it be “… refuse to improve their English”?

Presumably the parent comment meant that their English was poor to the point where they couldn’t communicate effectively with the worker, not that the worker was getting their point across but lacking pristine grammar. As an anecdote I’ve found that non-Americans from well off families tend to speak near grammatically perfect English because that’s how foreign languages are taught.

As an anecdote, an eternal rule for venting about insufficient language skills of damned foreigners on the Internet seems to be that it must be articulated by at least one demonstration of one's own inability to possess the very competence demanded (e.g., through absolutely careless spelling, grammatical error, etc.), which my contribution above was simply commenting on ironically— with a tangential spoof of U.S. exceptionalism of course.

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

#383

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]

Seems quite clear that H1B should be reformed to allow for easier moves to another employer. It should just be a work permit for any job for a period of time.

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

#385

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a manager of a team that's mostly H1Bs at Google. It's mostly fine but a few of them just refuse improve their English, and it's frustrating spending hours every day just being an English teacher to an engineer who writes at a 5th grade level. The problem with hiring too many H1Bs is they speak to each other in Chinese and thus take forever to become proficient at communicating with the rest of the company. Also,…

I find it interesting that H1B implies Indian or Chinese workers. As a South African I don't know why you don't hire more English speakers that would be H1Bs. I myself have tried to get an H1B and so far the door has been closed. It's been easier for me to move to a European country where I had to learn another language.

I agree with this but I’ve found that the people making the decisions of who to hire usually have some incentive to hire from a certain country.

Those reasons could be kickbacks, family stake in the company, etc.

Edit: This is completely anecdotal. Grain of salt and all that.

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

#386

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a manager of a team that's mostly H1Bs at Google. It's mostly fine but a few of them just refuse improve their English, and it's frustrating spending hours every day just being an English teacher to an engineer who writes at a 5th grade level. The problem with hiring too many H1Bs is they speak to each other in Chinese and thus take forever to become proficient at communicating with the rest of the company. Also,…

I find it interesting that H1B implies Indian or Chinese workers. As a South African I don't know why you don't hire more English speakers that would be H1Bs. I myself have tried to get an H1B and so far the door has been closed. It's been easier for me to move to a European country where I had to learn another language.

It's not common. I was on a call with a group of Indian contractors and one of them announced they were relocating to the USA. The cheers on the call were insane.

From an employer's point of view it's easier to stick to X countries as the source of H1Bs as the process overall can differ between countries.

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

#387
post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In fairness, the worst case implication is that nationals with a cushy salary are less motivated than poorly paid foreigners who need to maintain their job to maintain their visa and position in the immigration process. That doesn’t seem particularly offensive to me, a decently paid national.

In general, I think it's best to avoid stereotypes like this, unless they aren't just stereotypes but a statistic. And even then, interpreting a statistic can often be tricky.

There wasn’t a stereotype; we were discussing different incentive structures (national vs foreigner was not a salient part of the discussion). No one is hinting toward nationals being innately lazy or foreigners being innately hard working

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

#388

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course it is. Everyone’s mileage will vary. Not everyone is cut out to be CEO of a consulting firm. As a solo consultant, you’ll be hard pressed to charge more than they could get a FTE. As a firm, well, Deloitte, Cognizant, Pearsons, Booz Allen, all started as a consultancy or professional services spin off. If you’re wondering how to be a consultant, you won’t get FAANG money. If you know how to be a consultant,…

Again a massive no true Scotsman stretch. GP asked if we could make FAANG money as a contractor and you claim four fold... If you have the network, money and sub-hire a bunch of people. Ok sure but then it's not a like for like comparison. Most ppl in contracting are just interested in FTE work, with a better rate, tax framework, less office politics, etc. Very few want to go full Cognizant.

Has asked how he could make FAANG money as a consultant, not a contractor. Those are different.

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

#389

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Consultants exist at every level. An individual will (should?) never make more than the client they serve. However, a team of consultants (like the ones who consult for global firms) can demand more than an individual can. Often times a lot more. They also take on indemnification and more risk. Last I checked, an engagement with Deloitte for anything costs $10M out the gate.

Yes but the question was how does one consultant earn multiple millions of dollars. The average managing directors at Deloitte earn around $500k - I don't think there's any reasonable way to earn over double the average managing directors rate at a Big 4 without being a sole contractor directly contracting with a company

Contracting != consulting.

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

#390

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a manager of a team that's mostly H1Bs at Google. It's mostly fine but a few of them just refuse improve their English, and it's frustrating spending hours every day just being an English teacher to an engineer who writes at a 5th grade level. The problem with hiring too many H1Bs is they speak to each other in Chinese and thus take forever to become proficient at communicating with the rest of the company. Also,…

Here's something I don't understand. If google pays the same regardless, why bother to hire H1B at all?

probably because of non-pay related practices? things like differences in healthcare laws, unionization, legal rights as a citizen (of a particular country) vs being a visitor who can be evicted/deported at will.
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