Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay • Hacker News Board

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#641

Post by dang » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 3:57 AM UTC

nrmitchi wrote: post #33

I'll give you that, but it seems like a much simpler solution would have just been improving the flexibility for an H1B worker to be allowed to work at any employer for the term of their status. If an employer used an H1B in order to hire a foreign worker and then under pay them, the worker would just get another job that pays market rate, without the work status concern. Without the artificial control over the emplo…

(This subthread was originally a reply to https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24702742.)

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#642

Post by ec109685 » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 4:02 AM UTC

belltaco wrote: post #227

Cherian_Abraham wrote: post #117

“ Because those required wage increases take effect this week, existing H-1B holders looking to renew their visas might not qualify unless their employers raise their salaries accordingly.” This is really bad. Families are going to get told to leave. I’m surprised that there is no discussion on this thread about the impact to people who haven’t done anything wrong.

Since remote work has become acceptable and they already know the ins and outs of the job, many of these folks losing their visa will just be allowed to work remotely from India or Canada where it's trivial to get a work visa if you have a job offer. This means the US economy will lose all the taxes and local expenditure in the economy by the family like rent, food, travel, vacations, utilities, entertainment, cars,…

This already happens with companies relocating people to Canada until they can reapply back to the US.

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#643

Post by fredophile » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 4:02 AM UTC

fmajid wrote: post #237

jedberg wrote: post #9

Credit where credit is due, this is a good move. The H1B program has been abused for a long time. It sounds like these changes should help make it too expensive for the fraudulent abuse to continue.

It would be simpler to award the limited pool of H1-Bs in order of descending wages, and cross-check with the IRS afterwards to verify those salaries are actually paid. That would kill all the bottom-feeding body shops.

That has the added benefit of removing the unpredictability of the current system. Companies would very quickly figure out roughly where the line is and could pay a premium to guarantee their employee gets one of the spots.

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#644

Post by neeleshs » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 4:03 AM UTC

3pt14159 wrote: post #206

There is a lot of political science research that speaks to growing xenophobia when immigration is unleashed. I understand the sentiment—I'm very pro-immigration—but with respect to domestic policy my primary goal is stability and faith in government. Personally, I like how my country, Canada, does it. Points based system that rewards multiple factors, including skills, employability, and fluency in English and Frenc…

a bachelor's degree in computer science, oodles of experience and holding high positions in large tech companies, fluent in english and very high IELTS score - not enough in the Canadian points system, because of age. (Age outweighs points for experience)

That system is geared towards young masters holders fluent in English/French.

All systems exclude a certain demographic. I guess that's just how it is.

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#645

Post by mathisonturing » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 4:05 AM UTC

bdcravens wrote: post #627

splintercell wrote: post #591

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Almost all of those people you saw there are now living in pretty enviable situations for most Americans. Calling these 'guest houses' as people living in second class of the society is as incorrect as calling the residents of Pied Piper house in 'Silicon Valley' as 'living like second class citizens'.

Silicon Valley is satire, and meant to make fun of the idea, and even on that standard, they aren't as cramped as the parent comment is referring to.

Not from there nor do I know the place by any means, but didn't Bill Gates call Silicon Valley (the series) pretty close to the truth?

I'm just genuinely curious

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#646

Post by RspecMAuthortah » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 4:08 AM UTC

mcrider wrote: post #638

analyst74 wrote: post #606

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's what countries like Canada has, while they do have a work visa program, getting permanent residency is actually easier for talented folks.

Not really; If you have an in-demand skill set you get extra 'points' on the PR scoring chart, but you need to demonstrate many other things to reach the threshold required to get status. I went through that process and was denied because my work experience was through contracting (which for whatever reason didn't count). This was 10 years ago though, so things may have changed (also after three applications I finall…

Not really. It has gotten worse.

It used to be if you are a graduate or have experience working in a Canadian company you would score points. Which was much less prone to abuse.

Now they still have point based system, but the above don't get any extra point, and if you have those said qualifications anywhere, as long as you can prove (through documentations) you get the same points.

Result is rampant abuse with overseas companies that "vet" candidates' degrees and experience providing certificates and such things. And it takes longer for graduates from Canadian universities or someone with experience working at a company here since they compete in the same lottery pool. It is still far better than US, but it could take you a while before your points start closer to the draw.

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#647

Post by unishark » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 4:08 AM UTC

jupp0r wrote: post #461

booleandilemma wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Serious question: wouldn’t that be leaving less jobs open for Americans? As an American myself, I want to see my fellow Americans getting good jobs over people from other countries.

> As an American myself, I want to see my fellow Americans getting good jobs over people from other countries How many of your fellow citizens do you know who have the skills to get a good job and don't get one because of foreign competition? All I know is companies having trouble hiring really good people.

> How many of your fellow citizens do you know who have the skills to get a good job and don't get one because of foreign competition?

It's kind of a chicken and egg problem. I certainly know people with skills to do what used to be good jobs, but aren't good jobs anymore due to foreign competition.

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#648

Post by 8note » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 4:11 AM UTC

Moving tech out of the h1b and to something specific with higher pay requirements makes more sense to me.

What happens with the non-tech fields that can't find skilled labour, but aren't money printing machines?

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#649

Post by mrtksn » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 4:14 AM UTC

CinchWrench wrote: post #573

guitarbill wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This was already the case, they would ask for a request for evidence (RFE) how the degree was related. This is annoying if you e.g. studied maths and then started working in IT.

I've seen this abused so badly though--our compliance person in HR was asking me to help write one a while back for a candidate that had a BS in mechanical engineering and no relevant work experience, claiming that a course the applicant had that taught MATLAB was sufficient experience for a role as an android dev.

How is that an abuse if the person is actually required to perform the Android Dev role at work?

This looks like a rule that will block all the self thought developers, which are plenty and some are among the best.

Re: Trump administration announces overhaul of H1B visa program requiring higher pay

#650

Post by FilterSweep » Wed, Oct 07, 2020, 4:15 AM UTC

pedroma wrote: post #300

muzaffarpur wrote: post #72

It's not gonna take a long time before, most of the tech jobs move to Canada/rest of world. Why should someone hire entry/mid level engineer in usa, if they can hire at same price much senior engineer in same time zone? After successful taste of work from home, things have changed a lot. Unfortunately, now USA have not much to offer (rising healthcare cost, continuous degradation/humiliation of non white immigrants,…

It'd just reach some equilibrium. In your scenario, American workers will eventually just accept lower pay (we're overpaid already anyways). Why should someone hire entry/mid level engineer in Canada, if they can hire at same price the same level engineer in the same city?

> we're overpaid already anyways

Who’s we? Rent is astronomical