New $100k H-1B visa fee pushes tech jobs offshore

Post by infecto » Mon, Sep 14, 2026, 4:13 PM UTC

embedding-shape wrote: post #239

infecto wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope, cost of living is what matters and at least at the time major Canadian metros were as if not more expensive than SF/NYC and got you a 1/4th of the pay. I am sure that’s attractive to some but sounds pretty miserable. Chile I imagine has pretty good cost of living economics. Anecdotally most of my friends in Latin and South America live upper middle class on software salaries.

> Anecdotally most of my friends in Latin and South America live upper middle class on software salaries And your North American friends do not? Please. The commonality is that software engineers all across the globe live pretty great, compared to their local peers. But of course, compare them to inflated NYC/SV salaries and everything looks like peanuts.

Post by bigmadshoe » Mon, Sep 14, 2026, 4:15 PM UTC

infecto wrote: post #179

embedding-shape wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If pay and money is the only thing you care about then yeah. But for the rest of us, none of the places are "the worst place to work in tech" as long as you're in the northern hemisphere. Take a look at what the pay is in Chile if it's so scary to you.

Nope, cost of living is what matters and at least at the time major Canadian metros were as if not more expensive than SF/NYC and got you a 1/4th of the pay. I am sure that’s attractive to some but sounds pretty miserable. Chile I imagine has pretty good cost of living economics. Anecdotally most of my friends in Latin and South America live upper middle class on software salaries.

Post by lokar » Mon, Sep 14, 2026, 4:19 PM UTC

zimzam wrote: post #240

wegwerper wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In fact, they actually ended up costing more to the employer than a local would, due to having to deal with immigration lawyers/filing fees/etc. (all while being paid the same as everyone else). I mean, you were actually underpaying the local workers if this was the case? If you offered the fully loaded salary to the local workers they might have accepted. Or the local going rate for qualified personel were higher…

Workers on an H1B are more abusable though - if they lose the job they have something like 30 days to find another one or they have to leave the country entirely. So you talk a good game about work life balance and then after you hire an H1B worker and bring them to the country you can spring 60 hour weeks doing tedius things and many won't be in a position to say no. The salary might also seem higher to somebody who…

Post by lokar » Mon, Sep 14, 2026, 4:24 PM UTC

Kznzbjs wrote: post #131

lokar wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not my experience in big tech and HFT. We spent a ton of time and effort trying to find anyone to our standards, never able to find enough. H1B (and other work visas) were generally better and more Sr compared to locals we found. They got paid as much or more than everyone else. When we had great people we could not get here we would instead build a team overseas, taking a bunch of other jobs with them.

While I’m more open to this kind of H1B use, you all should be investing in training local talent as well. Ideally using those H1Bs to train local talent. We put people on the moon. I find it hard to believe the people here lack the raw ability. I find it much more likely businesses don’t want to give back to the country that they’re residing in.

Post by lokar » Mon, Sep 14, 2026, 4:27 PM UTC

DragonStrength wrote: post #112

lokar wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not my experience in big tech and HFT. We spent a ton of time and effort trying to find anyone to our standards, never able to find enough. H1B (and other work visas) were generally better and more Sr compared to locals we found. They got paid as much or more than everyone else. When we had great people we could not get here we would instead build a team overseas, taking a bunch of other jobs with them.

Comparing getting an American to uproot themselves from their entire community to move to the Bay Area for a job vs. someone on the other side of the world who is looking to get into America just aren't the same. Ultimately, H1Bs are used to lower the working standards of Americans and enrich tiny pockets of existing regional capital holders. Regional wealth inequality in America has not gotten better as Silicon Vall…