Live data from Hacker News

Oracle files H-1B visa petitions amid mass layoffs

nationaltoday.com

211–220 of 350 posts

Re: Oracle files H-1B visa petitions amid mass layoffs

#211

It's always puzzled me that layoffs don't result in a temporary bar from using the H1B system like it does for filing PERMs with the DoL.

The US only has two political parties and they are both, secretly, pro immigration. The EU is actually clamping down on it because of populist/far right parties. I know someone who runs a Thai restaurant and he cannot fly in a cook from Asia. He has to find someone from Europe.

The EU is mostly clamping down on asylum seekers that are abusing the procedural rules, despite not having a solid claim on asylum.

Think of someone from a place that isn't nice enough, but well above the threshold of absolute shitshow with genocidal aftertaste that allows protection. Such people, by virtue of claiming to require asylum get temporary protection and right to residence and then clog the system by appealing everything ten times with the obviously foreseeable result of not being granted anything. The current idea that is supposed to solve everything is hosting the immigration ghettos offshore (surprise surprise) to not upset the local population until the positive decision is made.

Right populists are mostly riding the racist feeling and the idea that the actual legitimate asylum seekers are undesirable, because they are Muslim, because immigrants leech on the system and all that, plus the actually observable existence of ethnic (organized) crime.

All at the same time, the tech immigration is very easy as long as you get an offer. No quotas, no 100k shakedown, not even a degree requirement or a language test, just someone willing to fill the form and pay like 500 bucks in processing fees and pay you the above media salary. Family immigration isn't restricted either and partners of citizens and immigrants get right to work (because what else they would do here, lol).

But the actual non-fancy low-skilled low-paid immigrants are either EU citizens from less affluent side of the continent or the (former) asylum status holders (which is straight path to citizenship most of the time). Packages have to sorted, garbage trucks have to be driven and cheaply. But sure, anti-immigration attitudes we have.

So yeah, the only sure way to fly in a Thai cook is to marry her or give her husband a tech job.

Re: Oracle files H-1B visa petitions amid mass layoffs

#212
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because our government is not run for the workers but the owners. Full stop.

Owners are a minority of voters, which raises an obvious question: why does the majority tolerate it? Every serious attempt to answer that ends up admitting something uncomfortable, that democracy only functions as intended if voters are consistently rational and informed. But that assumption doesn’t hold. It never has. Even the Athenians put Socrates, father of Western civilization, to death. If society were at all…

Because many people run on policies and then just don't follow up. Trump ran on "no more wars" and then started a war. Most people have such a team mindset they will choose denial over admitted they were duped, and then do it all again.

Re: Oracle files H-1B visa petitions amid mass layoffs

#213
post #180
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just to cut through the headline here. The largest chunk of Oracle layoffs were in India [1]. In comparison, they've barely fired any American workers. Contrary to popular opinion, IT workers aren't interchangeable and there exist a large swath of jobs that very few people qualify for (HN should know this) because of the specialization required. America is at near full employment [2]. Replacing American workers with…

> America is at near full employment Hope you're not saying this at social gatherings. What the newspapers(economists | politicians) say, is not reality for most people.

It completely disregards underemployment and very borderline at risk employment. It's effectively a form of lying with technically correct statistics.

Re: Oracle files H-1B visa petitions amid mass layoffs

#214

To all the folks here complaining that there is plenty of talent in the US to fill those roles: Honestly tell me: Would you ever apply to Oracle for a job?

I actually have applied, and I got the offer. And I didn't take it. Because Oracle is known for poor working conditions. Why can Oracle continue to hire good talent despite offering poor working conditions? H1-B. Is it circular? Absolutely. There really should be a strict maximum percentage of visa hires for any particular job type at a company. Say, 2x the overall average for that job category, and never to exceed 3…

Do you think they would instead shift to India if these measures continue. The talent is there. 80% of the for talent is currently in US due to H1b but will move back to India. And it might be cheaper to just shift offices to India

Re: Oracle files H-1B visa petitions amid mass layoffs

#215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If America was near full employment you'd be seeing real wage growth. Something that's not existed since the 1970s.

> real wage growth. Something that's not existed since the 1970s Real wages are 15% higher than they were in 1979 [1]. [1] https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LES1252881600Q

Only because the inflation metrics don't include housing.

Re: Oracle files H-1B visa petitions amid mass layoffs

#216

No. Abso-f'ing-lutely not, no way, no how. You cannot force me to believe that the talent they're looking for isn't available here already.

Until maybe 2 years ago absolutely. Huge demand for tech workers and not enough smart US workers to fill the roles… lots of low quality candidates from crappy colleges but anyone with skills or smarts (and not unreasonable salary expectations) got a job. Since the ai data center cash suck the jobs have dried up… ai productivity gains maybe too, although we’re waiting to see meaningful results there. From a recruitmen…

In my observation, job market wasn't great even before ai. AI made it worse by clogging existing channels - already not that great - with a ton of slop.

Re: Oracle files H-1B visa petitions amid mass layoffs

#217
post #58
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just to cut through the headline here. The largest chunk of Oracle layoffs were in India [1]. In comparison, they've barely fired any American workers. Contrary to popular opinion, IT workers aren't interchangeable and there exist a large swath of jobs that very few people qualify for (HN should know this) because of the specialization required. America is at near full employment [2]. Replacing American workers with…

From your first link, it says 10% of 28k employees in India were cut. I personally know several people who were laid off from Oracle this week (OCI). One person who's still there described it as a "bloodbath across our division" and says he counted 15k. I don't know what exactly he was counting but as we're in North America I am assuming they're all here. Whereas India layoffs were fewer than 3k. So that directly dis…

[flagged]

Re: Oracle files H-1B visa petitions amid mass layoffs

#218

To all the folks here complaining that there is plenty of talent in the US to fill those roles: Honestly tell me: Would you ever apply to Oracle for a job?

I probably would if they had something in my area of expertise and decent pay/benefits. Then again, isn't the point of this exercise to avoid doing exactly that?

Re: Oracle files H-1B visa petitions amid mass layoffs

#219
post #168
post #8

Wherever their major offices are look for newspapers in the small towns nearby advertising for "Software developers for Oracle" all written in the tiniest print, right next to classified that sell used bikes, car parts and other stuff. - "Well, Uncle Sam, we looked so hard in US and nobody answered our job posts, we have to go to ... $othercountry to hire, there is no other way"

I worked at a company once that posted h-1b jobs on a piece of paper on a board next to a restroom at the office. That was technically a publicly accessible area (if you had a guest pass).

That is an LCA requirement. The company did well to publish this at a place where employees frequent.

Re: Oracle files H-1B visa petitions amid mass layoffs

#220
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just to cut through the headline here. The largest chunk of Oracle layoffs were in India [1]. In comparison, they've barely fired any American workers. Contrary to popular opinion, IT workers aren't interchangeable and there exist a large swath of jobs that very few people qualify for (HN should know this) because of the specialization required. America is at near full employment [2]. Replacing American workers with…

Also to cut through the headlines once again. What the article actually says: > Federal data shows Oracle filed for 2,690 H-1B visas in fiscal year 2025 and 436 so far in fiscal year 2026, totaling over 3,100 visa requests. There is no proof that these people were also not part of the layoffs. Typically in layoffs, until the day off the announcement, it’s just business as usual. Which means people keep getting hired…

Most petitions are filed over the summer, so the numbers so far in this financial year are not super relevant to anything. You will see a spike pretty soon after petitions for lottery winners this year are filed.
Post reply on HN