Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

bloomberg.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

281–290 of 429 posts

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#281

Post by davidw »

jimbokun wrote: post #274
davidw wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why bother with a fixed number at all? http://johnhcochrane.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-optimal-number...

That's an interesting article, but if the proposals for limiting the number of immigrants in that article, like speaking English. paying a bond, asset and income tests, would probably drive progressives apoplectic if proposed as actual legislation. Although, would be super interesting to see this as a proposal from a "moderate" Democrat. Also completely ignores traditional criteria for immigration, like oppressed peo…

They're not so much proposals as things that might be discussed in lieu of a number that is a 'magic number'.

More immigrants could easily participate in building more infrastructure. They did so in the past.

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#282

Post by vilmosi »

smsm42 wrote: post #247
bllguo wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh please. The US is laughably poor in every aspect of education besides US top universities. Don't reframe things, he never said the top institutions of the US were worse.

And you are supporting this claim with... "oh please"? You want to prove US education system is inadequate to supply the workforce for technological companies, I believe it is not so, US has very good supply of necessary talent in the field. Please produce your evidence why you think it is not so.

Oh come on, every study puts the US in a mediocre position in education within the OECD. That's not a debate.

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#283

Post by jimbokun »

Cyph0n wrote: post #161
creaghpatr wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to mention volume- the US has way more chances to develop the next genius from sheer numbers alone. Works the same way with Olympic sports.

I'm still waiting for​ a decent men's soccer team...

Crap, can't escape the depression of a World Cup without the US, even in Hacker News.

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#284

Post by screye »

pfarnsworth wrote: post #248
hkmurakami wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would go even further to say that the best US students are often "better" than the best international counterparts, because the US runs a primary and secondary education system with a philosophy to grow the standout students as much as possible. The best high schools encourage their top students to really dive deep into their subject of interest, rather than focus on improving the performance of laggards or general…

This is definitely not the case for public schools in CA, for the most part. That's why I'm basically forced to sending my children to private schools at considerable cost ($30k/yr/child).

Wait ! Private schools in the US cost $30k a year ?!

I am assuming you are talking about K12 education. That is pretty absurd.

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#285

Post by t1o5 »

ex H1B here. I left US because of this broken system. There are many bad apples than good ones utilizing the H1B system. Indian bodyshops, one room consultancies all over New Jersey. Even companies like Sprint,Walmart,TR,Garmin,BOFA,Chase,Visa,AMEX, they all game the system and exploit H1B employees because of their situation. There are a lot of fake payroll running firms too which keeps the fake H1B employee's status valid. There are firms which apply for "future greencards" while the beneficiary is not even physically present in the US.

Even many non CS graduates faking their resumes as CS ones and applying for "specialized" positions in IT. I had enough of this and left US and immigrated to Canada for good because I am pretty sure that my future will be affected by these bad apples gaming the system. I do not like Trump personally, but he is right about the H1B immigration system.

If H1B system is a lottery, then why is it called a "skilled visa" ? H1B should be merit based so as to weed out the bad apples and body shops gaming the system.

Probably I should write a book on "How to game the H1B system and get away with it". The book will be an eye opener for this broken skilled visa system and its loopholes.

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#286

Post by vilmosi »

vostok wrote: post #71
majormajor wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What US Democrats ignore is that practically every damn country in the world does this too, often to a higher degree than the US. So there's a pragmatic question of how to avoid putting yourself at a disadvantage by being comparatively overgenerous that you don't have to be a "paleoconservative" or Trump supporter, or even Republican, to be concerned about.

Many countries will grant you a visa so long as you make over a certain amount. This is much more open than the American lottery system.

Isn't that the point of a visa? That you're a benefit to society?

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#287

Post by vilmosi »

bischofs wrote: post #262
damnyou wrote: post #245

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why should those countries be okay with losing their top talent? What sort of thinking is this? People stopped being subjects of their countries a while ago. Countries should compete for people, not trap them. If a country isn't OK with losing its top talent it should fix its institutions to make itself competitive. You know what country doesn't allow its citizens to leave? North Korea. Besides, remittances are a t…

I completely agree, countries should not trap people. But why is it "making it" in some countries to leave and go to America? Why not build up your own country and affect their living standards in a positive way? Personally I have no desire to leave my country because I like it and want to make it better. I think that is a healthy way to think about your identity.

>>> Why not build up your own country and affect their living standards in a positive way?

I can answer that in a personal way. Because I don't care.

The modern world is capitalist, especially with software. If your work is worth X dollars, why would you work for X/10 dollars? Because of nationalism?

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#288

Post by bduerst »

rrhd wrote: post #94

http://h1bdata.info/index.php?em=aegis+company&job=&city=&ye... The Aegis Company listed in the article is paying devs 55k a year in the seattle area. I'm wondering if this is targeted at the places that seem to pay well under market rate.

According to OFLC, the entry-level prevailing wage for developers in the Bellevue area (where these developers work) is $39k. Paying $55k for a level 1 or 2 isn't unreasonable because it's more than the average pay of citizens in the area working the same job.

http://www.flcdatacenter.com/OesQuickResults.aspx?area=53000...

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#289

Post by devdas »

fggdsgsg wrote: post #180
rrhd wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, but I don't think anyone argues that type of behavior isn't blatant abuse of the program. It's frustrating when people complain about H-1Bs at big companies like Google/MS/Amazon. Apparently we're underpaid, overworked, and stealing a job from an american. Despite the fact that these companies are almost constantly hiring and if the american wants to go try, they could.

If we weren't around, an American could demand a (significantly) higher wage. If the developer wages were higher an American programer would consider not becoming a manager (why code away for peanuts when you can boss others for much more?). That's in the short term. In the long term more Americans would do CS, and if the supply is tight enough, Apple and the others would open schools to train teenagers to code. Not…

Or the whole operation would move countries.

Re: USCIS is challenging an unusually large number of H-1B applications

#290

Post by screye »

wmil wrote: post #228
komali2 wrote: post #13

Conservatives may generally view this as "good" regardless of the impact because (according to arguments I've heard) "the less globalization, the better." In my mind, however, it boils down to two pretty simple points: Given that (1) the US is lagging far behind every developed nation in education, and higher education in the US is prohibitively expensive compared to other developed nations, (2) the only way for the…

> He joins Chevron and is turning a profit for them within the year, pumping out research and getting taxed on his 100k/year salary, spending his money in-country and oh well, maybe he sends a bit (already taxed) home. But that's not the typical H1B. There are "Manager Trainees" at slaughterhouses making 35k. http://h1bdata.info/index.php?job=MANAGER+TRAINEE Developers making between 30k - 70k are quite common. Putti…

I think there should be some scaling wrt. to COL (From what I know 80k takes you a long way in some states). But, apart from that I totally agree.

If someone is living on sub 60k in the US, their job is certainly not one that requires an H1B.

Post reply on HN