Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs • Hacker News Board

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#31

Post by Retric » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 12:35 PM UTC

ftyers wrote: post #3

For H1B don't they have to show that they are paying at least market rate? And isn't it a factor in awarding the visa?

In theory yes, but not in practice. Job roles are often downplayed. The basic mechanism where titles, roles, and pay are kept in sync because people will jump to new jobs breaks down in the H1B system.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#32

Post by hankchinaski » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 12:35 PM UTC

I’m not familiar with the US visa rules, but aren’t companies supposed to demonstrate that they can’t source talent domestically before bringing people in on visas? This seems odd and damaging to the US economy. And I say this as a non-US person

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#33

Post by bell-cot » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 12:35 PM UTC

Daydream: American companies are allowed to replace well-paid American workers with ill-treated, ill-paid H1B workers all they want...with the small caveat that the highest replacement rates and worst ill-treat/-pay rates must occur the C suite.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#34

Post by api » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 12:35 PM UTC

greatpostman wrote: post #13

Generally not supposed to say this out loud, but being the only American on an all H1B team at these companies can be absolutely brutal. Very alienating, always missing out on back channel communications, no sympathy for missteps

They also can’t easily quit since if you lose sponsorship you may have to return to your country of origin.

It’s not “confiscating passports” level but it’s definitely exploitative.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#35

Post by mdorazio » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 12:35 PM UTC

ftyers wrote: post #3

For H1B don't they have to show that they are paying at least market rate? And isn't it a factor in awarding the visa?

Here's how it works in practice: You create a job posting that's buried on your careers page and has so many very specific requirements for an underleveled role (because it's custom-made for the H1B person you want to hire) that no local worker can possibly meet them all. Then you half-heartedly phone screen a few people to check the box before throwing up your hands and saying, "We tried and weren't able to find any local workers; we have no choice but to hire an H1B!"

This could all be fixed by making H1B visas an auction system, but all the H1B legislation changes I've seen have been half-hearted at best.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#36

Post by fiforpg » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 12:36 PM UTC

greatpostman wrote: post #13

Generally not supposed to say this out loud, but being the only American on an all H1B team at these companies can be absolutely brutal. Very alienating, always missing out on back channel communications, no sympathy for missteps

Why "not supposed" to say out loud? Sounds simply as a problem of the only X on a team of Ys. Cultural (and other) differences can be hard, it is just a fact of life.

Think of it as being in the shoes of a lonely non-American in the country of Americans, if that is any consolation.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#37

Post by rrryougi » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 12:36 PM UTC

prng2021 wrote: post #11

ftyers wrote: post #3

For H1B don't they have to show that they are paying at least market rate? And isn't it a factor in awarding the visa?

I've personally noticed that H1B tech workers get paid significantly lower than others. It's a shameful business practice and obviously also really hurts the competitiveness of non-visa workers. My guess is that there's no clear market rate for any position. Companies can always say there's a wide range between lowest and highest paid for any given role.

A PERM (permanent labor certificate) actually requires prevailing wage for a specific job position at a specific area. Just go check this website: https://flag.dol.gov/programs/prevailingwages

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#38

Post by boringg » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 12:36 PM UTC

InvaderFizz wrote: post #5

This is the only part of the article that matters, and even it is a stretch: > Just a month after Sundar Pichai announced Google’s plan to cut 12,000 jobs around the world in January, the company filed applications for H1B visas to hire software engineers, analytical consultants, user experience researchers and other roles from outside the United States, with several requests aimed for new Google employees to join in…

Process had probably already set sail before the layoffs.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#39

Post by DebtDeflation » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 12:37 PM UTC

So basically FAANG has finally discovered what the entire rest of the IT industry discovered 20 years ago.

Re: Google, Meta, Amazon hiring low-paid H1B workers after US layoffs

#40

Post by eddtests » Sat, Sep 09, 2023, 12:37 PM UTC

zffr wrote: post #9

malermeister wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Best move right now is to go into freelance/consulting and wait for big tech to recover. Still plenty of money to be made that way.

Can you make FAANG level money doing consulting?

Depends on the ‘consulting’ - are you giving strategic advice to the CTO’s office at a multinational? You could be making millions! Are you augmenting an SME’s team as an IC? You can make a little more than an employee after accounting for all the things you have to pay for that tend to be included as an employee.

You tend to need some really awesome work experience to get the former while the latter is fairly easy to walk into.