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US burns through all high-skill visas for 2015 in less than a week

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Re: US burns through all high-skill visas for 2015 in less than a week

#21

Post by thingylab »

fsk wrote: post #2

They really should call them "indentured servant slave visas". The H1-B visa holder has to leave the country if he gets fired (and doesn't find a new employer quickly), and if he switches jobs the green card process has to start over. Because the H1-B visa employee is legally bound to the job, he becomes more attractive than hiring a US citizen, (assuming equal salary and qualification).

That's a bit of an exaggeration. Many H1-Bs work in high-value industries and make a decent amount of money (I should know, I'm an H1-B holder). I don't think many of them consider themselves slaves.

The green card process for a H1-B is particularly annoying and restrictive though, as is the arbitrary time limit.

Not sure what you mean by "the H1-B visa employee is legally bound to the job". Sure, your company's name is printed on your visa but it is excessively easy to transfer to a new employer.

Re: US burns through all high-skill visas for 2015 in less than a week

#23

Post by fsk »

malandrew wrote: post #9
fsk wrote: post #2

They really should call them "indentured servant slave visas". The H1-B visa holder has to leave the country if he gets fired (and doesn't find a new employer quickly), and if he switches jobs the green card process has to start over. Because the H1-B visa employee is legally bound to the job, he becomes more attractive than hiring a US citizen, (assuming equal salary and qualification).

The H1-B visa really needs to be completely divorced from the company that originally applies for it. At the end of the day, the US government makes a decision if an individual adds value to the country by working for a US company. Which US company shouldn't matter. The only time the visa should be re-evaluated in a way that the employer may be deported is if the worker is fired for cause. Beyond that the visa should…

I'm in favor of immigration. I'm saying give them an unlimited work visa, instead of making them a slave to the employer.

Also, H1-B visas get 50%-150%+ raises when they get their green card, which proves that the H1-B visa suppresses wages.

Re: US burns through all high-skill visas for 2015 in less than a week

#24

Post by NextUserName »

>124,000 people applied for the combined 85,000

So if we gave them all Visas - we'd be good for less than two weeks?

Sounds like a bigger problem here.

On a related note, how many highly skilled and educated people live here already who are currently unemployed?

Two observations.

* Immigrants will go to where the work is. They will live almost anywhere the work is, they are moving already so it is easier than for someone who has roots somewhere.

* Immigrants will work harder and for less money. This is like starting a new job x10. Typically starting a new job - people work their tails off (for the first year or two at least). Think about that plus moving half way around the world just for personal achievement. Imagine the motivation that would give you. You would want to prove yourself, get permanent status, make a lot of money to bring family here ETC. And the money? think about it. Would you take less money for a huge opportunity in life?

Here is the thing though. Bringing in skilled immigrants is great for greedy capitalism, you get talent, hard work, and for cheap. The problem is - we are just working around a growing problem. What about the people who already live here. Not just the adults, but the kids who will be in high school and college in a few years. Why can't they be the ones who fill these jobs?

Bringing in immigrants is a short term moneymaker for corporations. Longer term, and in a couple of generations, these immigrants grand kids will be the ones who don't have a job. Let's put more focus on that aspect rather than always rallying behind opening the floodgates without properly considering the ramifications.

Re: US burns through all high-skill visas for 2015 in less than a week

#25

Post by nairteashop »

suyash wrote: post #15
nairteashop wrote: post #12

Does anyone know why the number of visas isn't capped on a per-company basis? Last year, apparently 40,000 of the 85,000 available visas went to outsourcing companies, and one outsourcing company, Cognizant, got 9,000 visas! http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/04/03/176134... At my last job, we tried to get an H1 for just one person, and failed in the lottery! I feel there would be much less abuse of the…

More accurate figures: http://www.myvisajobs.com/Reports/2013-H1B-Visa-Sponsor.aspx

Those are numbers for filed LCAs (a necessary step prior to filing for an H1), and not the actual numbers for approved H1s.

Re: US burns through all high-skill visas for 2015 in less than a week

#26

Post by tokenadult »

What is that makes the United States such an attractive place to immigrate to for people whose skill sets could take them almost anywhere in the world? (In other words, why is that successive sessions of Congress can basically count on lots of people desiring to live in the United States, thus setting up an environment in which immigration regulation is restrictive rather than open?)

(I'm genuinely curious about this, as an American who has lived overseas--with the proper visas of course--for three years in the 1980s and for three years spanning the turn of the last century. I've only lived long-term in one other country, so I still could learn a lot more from all of you who participate here on HN about why people leave their country of birth, which is surely disruptive, to go to another country to live. What's the big deal about living in the United States?)

Re: US burns through all high-skill visas for 2015 in less than a week

#27

Post by bertil »

If this is genuinely an issue (I never really tried, I just asked a handful of interesting offers if they'd consider making the effort and never really received a positive reaction), why haven’t more companies tried to set up large teams in Europe and Asia?

I never heard anyone say that Google Zurich (a terrible location, work-visa-wise) or Sidney didn't fit the bill. Remote work appears to be common practice — a third of offers consider it, and cools start-ups advertise not having an office.

Re: US burns through all high-skill visas for 2015 in less than a week

#28

Post by ChuckMcM »

malandrew wrote: post #9
fsk wrote: post #2

They really should call them "indentured servant slave visas". The H1-B visa holder has to leave the country if he gets fired (and doesn't find a new employer quickly), and if he switches jobs the green card process has to start over. Because the H1-B visa employee is legally bound to the job, he becomes more attractive than hiring a US citizen, (assuming equal salary and qualification).

The H1-B visa really needs to be completely divorced from the company that originally applies for it. At the end of the day, the US government makes a decision if an individual adds value to the country by working for a US company. Which US company shouldn't matter. The only time the visa should be re-evaluated in a way that the employer may be deported is if the worker is fired for cause. Beyond that the visa should…

This is an interesting idea. You could have a lottery for 100K H-1B visas which any non-citizen could apply for on January 1st. Then you have 6 months to find a qualified high-tech job in the US. If you don't have an offer in that time you lose the visa and are put on deferral for 1 year. Then there is a smaller lottery of visas reclaimed from those who were not hired. Every year you get two shots at visa.

Re: US burns through all high-skill visas for 2015 in less than a week

#29

Post by joe_the_user »

nairteashop wrote: post #12

Does anyone know why the number of visas isn't capped on a per-company basis? Last year, apparently 40,000 of the 85,000 available visas went to outsourcing companies, and one outsourcing company, Cognizant, got 9,000 visas! http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/04/03/176134... At my last job, we tried to get an H1 for just one person, and failed in the lottery! I feel there would be much less abuse of the…

"Does anyone know why the number of visas isn't capped on a per-company basis?"

Or why the state department does look at what skills are actually needed where ... or why those who get the visas remain utterly dependent on the companies that got them the visas, thus lower wages in a way an "ordinary market" etc?

-- Wow, I can think of a reason. I think of "a million reasons", all with the face of a founding father.

Yeah, if seriously high-skilled folks were let into the US, no questions asked and then weren't dependent on only company X, then they actually wouldn't be putting pressure on wages of existing geeks because they would have their own legitimate demands. But couldn't have that.

Re: US burns through all high-skill visas for 2015 in less than a week

#30

Post by huherto »

suyash wrote: post #15
nairteashop wrote: post #12

Does anyone know why the number of visas isn't capped on a per-company basis? Last year, apparently 40,000 of the 85,000 available visas went to outsourcing companies, and one outsourcing company, Cognizant, got 9,000 visas! http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/04/03/176134... At my last job, we tried to get an H1 for just one person, and failed in the lottery! I feel there would be much less abuse of the…

More accurate figures: http://www.myvisajobs.com/Reports/2013-H1B-Visa-Sponsor.aspx

It is clearly being abused by outsourcing companies.

Also take a look at average salaries for true technology companies and outsourcing companies.

Perhaps there should be a minimal salary floor. Or perhaps some sort of auction based on salary instead of a lottery.

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