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I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

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Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

#311

Post by calderwoodra »

crazyalientim wrote: post #306

As green card holder, I crossed border in Detroit, MI over to Canadian side, just to do a 1 hour tour for fun, but coming back, the custom wasn't as quick, they asked me a bunch of questions like why I crossed the border an hour ago, who Detroit as I currently live in New Jersey, it seemed that there was some discrepancies (I could be wrong) that two officers had to look at the computer to finally let me go as the bu…

Don't take it personally, those guys are hard asses with citizens too.

Did something similar in Montana, we just wanted to cross, take a picture and cross back - 5 minute trip. Got very similar treatment.

Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

#312

Post by relistan »

crazyalientim wrote: post #306

As green card holder, I crossed border in Detroit, MI over to Canadian side, just to do a 1 hour tour for fun, but coming back, the custom wasn't as quick, they asked me a bunch of questions like why I crossed the border an hour ago, who Detroit as I currently live in New Jersey, it seemed that there was some discrepancies (I could be wrong) that two officers had to look at the computer to finally let me go as the bu…

Just a guess, but they were possibly trying to figure out if your were couriering something over the border due to the short turnaround and you not living nearby. If you lived in Detroit, or stayed longer in CA, I suspect it would have gone differently.

Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

#313

Post by casenmgreen »

realityfactchex wrote: post #241
casenmgreen wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Employers should have to prove they were not able to find a U.S. citizen who can do the job before they're allowed to hire someone that needs a work permit. Why? It's their money and their business. What business do you or I have in forcing upon them what they can do? any more than they would have any business forcing themselves upon us?

> Why? AFAICT, the parent answered that with "This whole system...puts U.S. citizens out of work." (Whether that's actually true or not, I'm not entirely certain, but the argument could definitely be made, and, in all likelihood, convincingly.) > What business do you or I have in forcing upon them what they can do? any more than they would have any business forcing themselves upon us? Presumably, it's people's busine…

> "This whole system...puts U.S. citizens out of work." (Whether that's actually true or not, I'm not entirely certain, but the argument could definitely be made, and, in all likelihood, convincingly.)

If bringing people from outside the USA into the USA puts people out of work, doesn't having children also put people out of work?

Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

#314

Post by oneplane »

briandear wrote: post #307
iluvcommunism wrote: post #299

I remember watching the company I worked for in California lay off Americans and replace them with Indians. For all the talk about “prevailing wage” and “shortage of talent,” I just remember seeing it with my own eyes. One guy worked there till he was in his 60’s, built the company’s entire software, yet was kicked to the curb.

I worked for Best Buy. Entire teams fired but first had to train the Indian Accenture replacements. Entirely their right to fire us but don’t you dare say there is a “talent shortage.” There is definitely a talent shortage — of talent willing to work for $20/hour. In the jobs I’m seeing now, what used to be $65/hour jobs are now $48/hour. I remember making $90/hour a few years ago — now similar levels one would be ve…

Is there any data about H1B for large workforce "suppliers" vs. for individuals?

As far as I know, H1B doesn't allow you to be an Accenture in India, and ship people to the US (even if they'd be at Accenture in the US).

That said, for companies like Best Buy, H1B is just a tool, and if they want to pay less, they will find a way to pay less. What they will not do is pay you more. Instead of moving people around, they might opt to move the office to a different country. Writing software isn't bound to any location, so maybe making moving people harder will just end up making moving offices more attractive, the net result being even less than what you have now.

Maybe it's pure corporate greed, or short-term thinking or late-stage capitalism, but I doubt it can all be pinned on some sort of migration abuse.

Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

#315

Post by jorvi »

briandear wrote: post #307
iluvcommunism wrote: post #299

I remember watching the company I worked for in California lay off Americans and replace them with Indians. For all the talk about “prevailing wage” and “shortage of talent,” I just remember seeing it with my own eyes. One guy worked there till he was in his 60’s, built the company’s entire software, yet was kicked to the curb.

I worked for Best Buy. Entire teams fired but first had to train the Indian Accenture replacements. Entirely their right to fire us but don’t you dare say there is a “talent shortage.” There is definitely a talent shortage — of talent willing to work for $20/hour. In the jobs I’m seeing now, what used to be $65/hour jobs are now $48/hour. I remember making $90/hour a few years ago — now similar levels one would be ve…

I can't speak to Indian replacements, but I remember reading on here that the people at Google MV were furious that the Python team got completely disbanded and reconstituted in Munich.

Obviously this was to lower wage costs, but I was reading that and was in awe of the entitlement. Like.. the jobs belong to US personnel or to no one, EU devs don't deserve them?

Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

#316

Post by rmnwski »

withzombies wrote: post #123
fertrevino wrote: post #106

Me and my cofounder are non-US residents and live in Germany. If we get into YC, what would a typical / recommended way to proceed be? We haven’t established a company in Germany yet, we want to be strategic and make what’s best to succeed. From what I know we can do the batch with our current tourist visa, so I’d like to know more about the post batch options. Being US based or Germany based is an option for us. Tha…

You should still create a US C-Corp, ideally in Delaware.

Why should you do so? What’s the advantage or would you say it’s even necessary?

Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

#317

Post by p0w3n3d »

iluvcommunism wrote: post #299

I remember watching the company I worked for in California lay off Americans and replace them with Indians. For all the talk about “prevailing wage” and “shortage of talent,” I just remember seeing it with my own eyes. One guy worked there till he was in his 60’s, built the company’s entire software, yet was kicked to the curb.

when money is the only KPI for the management, it must end this way...

Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

#318

Post by lorandia »

iluvcommunism wrote: post #299

I remember watching the company I worked for in California lay off Americans and replace them with Indians. For all the talk about “prevailing wage” and “shortage of talent,” I just remember seeing it with my own eyes. One guy worked there till he was in his 60’s, built the company’s entire software, yet was kicked to the curb.

I wonder why they don't have h1b's for sports teams? Those players get paid an awful lot. Could easily outsource it to someone passing a certification exam and having a fake degree.

Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

#319

Post by BrandonMarc »

Detrytus wrote: post #267
nemomarx wrote: post #257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could it be that the prevailing wage is a national average, ie not adjusted for a high col city? I feel like tech salaries especially must swing a lot between flyover states and big coastal cities.

Well, maybe. I mean, my city is really not that high col city: median house price is $450k and the rent outside city center is just $1300 for one bedroom. But salaries in IT are pretty good here, my salary is actually the average for my position that I found on Glassdoor (I used that as a reference point when negotiating relocation with my employer).

Unless I'm missing something that does sound rather HCOL ...

Re: I'm Peter Roberts, immigration attorney who does work for YC and startups. AMA

#320

Post by inanutshellus »

jorvi wrote: post #315
briandear wrote: post #307

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I worked for Best Buy. Entire teams fired but first had to train the Indian Accenture replacements. Entirely their right to fire us but don’t you dare say there is a “talent shortage.” There is definitely a talent shortage — of talent willing to work for $20/hour. In the jobs I’m seeing now, what used to be $65/hour jobs are now $48/hour. I remember making $90/hour a few years ago — now similar levels one would be ve…

I can't speak to Indian replacements, but I remember reading on here that the people at Google MV were furious that the Python team got completely disbanded and reconstituted in Munich. Obviously this was to lower wage costs, but I was reading that and was in awe of the entitlement. Like.. the jobs belong to US personnel or to no one, EU devs don't deserve them?

Any team replaced for cost savings is going to feel insulted and demeaned.

Them whinging is not them being entitled or intending to insult you, they're just defending their self worth, just like you're doing by defending the jobs having come to your area.

Imagine the team had been replaced by fresh college greenhorns using the same seats. The rhetoric would still be the same outrage and resentment.

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