Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs • Hacker News Board

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

#391

Post by womenintech333 » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 5:13 PM UTC

thrw32845 wrote: post #249

burnerburnson wrote: post #103

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 because statistically they are just almost entirely from India. There are a few Chinese ones but it's no where near the amount of Indian hires. Chinese H1b candidates are post graduates from PhD programs and are less common but make up the 2nd largest but still extremely small group.

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

#392

Post by passion__desire » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 5:21 PM UTC

enlightenedfool wrote: post #166

burnerburnson wrote: post #103

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,…

Things have changed in India. In these top companies, engineers get as much as 1/3rd of the pay here. That’s relatively much better given the cost of living in India.

Well market dictates that if I am providing similar output, I should expect to get paid same or equalize the two levels at some intermediate stage.

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

#393

Post by HAL3000 » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 5:29 PM UTC

Zetice wrote: post #359

vacuity wrote: post #352

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The general rule here is that unless there's an obvious reason to deny equal people something you've given other people, you shouldn't deny it in the first place. Of course. The problem is that your view of the economy is optimistic, perhaps dangerously so. Let's hope we never reach the limit and have a concrete problem on our hands, I guess.

My view is not optimistic, it's reflective of reality.

This viewpoint appears somewhat naive and unrealistic. It's important to consider that there are literally billions of people who might be willing to make certain sacrifices and agree, or at least pretend to agree, to a social contract just to migrate to the US. What would happen in such a scenario? Society could collapse. To get a clearer perspective on this, it's worth examining what started happening in the European Union around 2015 when there was a substantial influx of immigrants from Africa and Asia. It created huge social tensions. Look at the rising crime rates in Sweden (majority from immigrants, that's not some right wing propaganda but actual statistics, just google it), the increased popularity of far-right parties like AFD in Germany or neo nazi parties in France or Italy. I am grateful that this perspective is in the minority because the consequences of the proposed decisions could potentially harm society. There will always be individuals who exploit divisions and tensions between groups to gain power. Don't forget that Hitler was elected in democratic society.

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

#394

Post by slim » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 5:33 PM UTC

resolutebat wrote: post #236

mrtksn wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting, isn't it considered impolite to speak in a language that someone in the group doesn't understand? When I was in Germany, Germans even texted their SO in English in case I glance over their phones. Maybe the group I was in was exceptionally welcoming but everywhere in Europe where I lived(EU, non-EU, UK etc.) it was always considered rude to speak a language that others don't understand and everyone alway…

Yes, but many Chinese engineers have such a low level of proficiency that they genuinely struggle to communicate in spoken English. Pronunciation/accent can also be a major barrier to comprehension.

how can they write code ? real question

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

#395

Post by nec4b » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 5:34 PM UTC

Zetice wrote: post #348

jimmygrapes wrote: post #338

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Citizenship is meant to limit external actors influencing the vote of who should represent the people of any given area, and being qualified to represent the people by virtue of a sustained commitment and longevity.

No, it's meant to determine which people have agreed to the social contract. Citizenship is not some sacred thing you must earn; simply agreeing to give up some freedom is all it takes to benefit from the social programs offered by a government. The bureaucratic concept of "citizenship" is just a way for people to construct barriers of hate around the benefits offered by a nation while still forcing people to accept…

Are you putting other people before your family, friends or neighbors?

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

#396

Post by mavelikara » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 5:34 PM UTC

batch12 wrote: post #28

I believe for H1B they have to post the jobs and demonstrate no qualified American could be found. I've seen companies do this quickly and quietly to satisfy the requirement. I wonder if there a way to identify these opportunities and take advantage of the low applicant pool.

The process you are describing is for applying for an employment-based Green Card.

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

#397

Post by nec4b » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 5:36 PM UTC

Zetice wrote: post #295

dudul wrote: post #290

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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".

So it's inconvenient for you to open your house to anyone?

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

#398

Post by eddtests » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 5:40 PM UTC

gabereiser wrote: post #389

eddtests wrote: post #356

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I don't really understand what you're on about anymore. Fwiw, I am a consultant and do know the field.

Edit: Maybe you're unaware of the term https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/sole-contractor, I was talking about a single person consulting, not a contract developer or whatever

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

#399

Post by mavelikara » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 5:40 PM UTC

spandextwins wrote: post #97

The trends I’ve seen in the industry are to hire lots of H1b’s who just churn out questionable code, then hire sharp people to fix that code. Rinse and repeat. Soon the H1b’s will be replaced by AI, this might be the last batch, probably using them to fine tune the AI. Unfortunate.

Many of the AIs themselves are build by people on H-1B!

You can easily verify that Open AI, for example, have made tens of H-1B applications. Also, please go check the names of authors of influential papers - many of them are from countries who don’t share a land border with the US, but work here.

Yes, there are plenty of engineers who churn out questionable code. But those are not all folks on H-1B, or are H-1B exclusively on those roles.

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

#400

Post by mavelikara » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 5:45 PM UTC

mrits wrote: post #157

manuelabeledo wrote: post #100

“Low paid”? I’m an immigrant myself and know how the visa application process works. There are a few mechanisms in place to prevent H-1B holders to receive lower wages than their colleagues, first and foremost the PERM, which guarantees similar wages in the same occupation and area of employment. If Google or anyone else are hiring H-1B visa holders directly, they have to pay them accordingly to their own standards.…

H-1B have no leverage and can get in emergency hire situations. This encourages exploitation. Like a slave they might be lucky and have a good master.

In the US employees of all nationalities have less leverage than many parts of the world. Healthcare tied to employment, persistent union-busting, at-will employment laws etc.