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Updates to H-1B

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Re: Updates to H-1B

#121
post #74
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Ah yes the classic "huwhite people and muh racism" gambit. It's tired. H1Bs are gamed to the point of uselessness. Most companies internally post H1B job offerings so people are aware. I've yet to see one with a competitive salary. They are used to source cheaper labor and avoid paying actual Americans the fair wage they deserve. The last 15-20 years of tech has slowly seen the InfoSys-ization of the tech economy. I…

> the fair wage they deserve.

Why do american citizens deserve more than non american citizens for the same work?

Re: Updates to H-1B

#122

I'd rather have H1-B visas be a 5 year unrestricted work permit. America needs to keep attracting the world's best and brightest, but linking it to a specific employer is problematic. Opens up employees to mistreatment. I'd say charge a straight up fee, 500k upon approval. That gets you 5 years, if your wiz making 400k a year it's a great deal.

"charge a straight up fee, 500k upon approval."

There is already a work visa for that called EB5 even though the requirement is $1M (800K for rural areas) and you will need to hire 10 American workers. Plenty of rich people from other countries are using that already.

Re: Updates to H-1B

#123

Seem like sensible changes, though more is still needed. Requiring H1B holders to leave the country to renew paperwork is an insane anachronism. The per-country caps also seem like a throwback to the early 1900's era immigration exclusion policies. Re: the concerns over "immigrants taking our jobs!". As a native-born American working in a large tech company today - the threat is very clearly not from H1B's and other…

Following the sun is a win, faster project delivery and lowered cost of development

Re: Updates to H-1B

#124
post #68

It’s never been clear to me why this program exists in the first place, other than to put downward pressure on US STEM wages. What am I missing?

Global competition exists. If US companies can't hire the best, others will. I hope you don't assume that all the best workers/researchers are born within US borders.

I don't think countries should hire the best. Pretty good should do. They should foster a greater sense of community within their borders. Now, I'm not against immigration. I myself am an immigrant. But I think there's too much global fluidity and not enough attention paid to taking care of one's own.

Re: Updates to H-1B

#125
post #68

It’s never been clear to me why this program exists in the first place, other than to put downward pressure on US STEM wages. What am I missing?

It's enabling companies to bring highly skilled individuals to work in the USA rather than having them open offices in other countries.

If it's about urgently needed skills, then anybody who has a H-1B visa is of course the highest paid worker in his or her company. Right?

Re: Updates to H-1B

#126
post #68

It’s never been clear to me why this program exists in the first place, other than to put downward pressure on US STEM wages. What am I missing?

Software is one of the few STEM fields where one can get a fantastic job with just a Bachelor's. In most other engineering fields, a MS gives you a significant boost, and a PhD may do so as well.

The reality is that in most of those fields, few Americans get an MS/PhD. Go to a typical engineering department and you'll often see the majority of advanced degree students are foreigners.

So it's a question of: Do we want to continue to train foreigners, only to not have them contribute to the US economy?

If you move out to the pure sciences, you pretty much need a PhD to get a good career. Once again, a big chunk, if not the majority, are foreigners.

Look around at the highly skilled folks you see who are not of US origin, and you'll find most of them are in the US due to the H1-B program (only a tiny percentage come via other programs like the O visa).

Yes, H1-B is often abused, but this is the reason it exists. It's a lot harder to get an H1B visa and then permanent residency if your degree is in the humanities, for example.

Re: Updates to H-1B

#127

Allowing spouses to work on a H4 visa is a HUGE change. It was a big problem for our family.

Spouses on H4 cannot work unless the primary H1B has an approved I-140 immigrant petition. It's not automatic.

Re: Updates to H-1B

#128
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you propose hiring tech talent then

By offering wages appropriate for the economy your fellow citizens are accustomed to, as opposed to the economy citizens of other nations are accustomed to.

Already done.

I mean, you didn't provide details/data, so I don't know what you have in mind.

The rules require you pay prevalent wages for the geo you're in.

Re: Updates to H-1B

#129
post #94

Cancel the program. It's not needed. It's used to game the system. It's not supposed to be a backdoor to a green card.

Guy who born with natural citizenship is too privileged to imagine how hard it is to get a green card.

Everybody is born with natural citizenship.
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