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Updates to H-1B

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Re: Updates to H-1B

#741

Post by RHSeeger »

fn-mote wrote: post #600
biztos wrote: post #535

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to pile on, but if linear algebra is really a part of the day-to-day job and not some manager’s mistaken idea of a proxy for more general talent, then you’re hiring specialists and the pool will not be that large. People who remember all their math and enjoy it and can also code, are also very employable at all the AI companies and departments, including at Meta. And how do you know if someone’s eligible for secu…

> if linear algebra is really a part of the day-to-day job [...] then you’re hiring specialists It kind of bothers me that the parent and other readers here are passing off knowing linear algebra as some kind of esoteric skill. Linear algebra is a year 2 course in a undergraduate eduation. There are polished libraries to make it fast. Unless you mean enough knowledge to be writing linear algebra libraries , there is…

It's not so much that it's esoteric, it's that it's not something most people use every day, and skills decay over time. I mean, Differential Equations (Diff-e-screw) was a year 2 class for me, and I assume I'd fail it if I took it today.

But most people that have any exposure to it can pick it back up fairly rapidly. And most people that have a reasonable exposure to math in general could probably come up to speed (a little less) rapidly.

Re: Updates to H-1B

#742

Post by m00x »

brandonmenc wrote: post #531
dmayle wrote: post #375

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is why H1-B visas should have a minimum salary requirement equal to 20% over whichever is greater, median salary for the role in the industry, or median salary for the role in the company (and whichever is greater, US-wide, or local pay scale). This way, a company is always incentivized to find local talent, but when they are actually unable to, they have a path to find the expertise they need. The U.S. could re…

> This is why H1-B visas should have a minimum salary requirement equal to 20% over [median] The requirement should be at least 2x top of band. A mere 1.2x of the median is absolutely absurd.

That's ridiculous. 20% is already enough from top of band.

Re: Updates to H-1B

#743

Post by never_inline »

throwaway2037 wrote: post #654
superfrank wrote: post #466

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I actually think that could end up having the opposite effect in lower paying fields. An mid level engineer at Google averages $280k/yr according to levels. A principal mechanical engineer at Boeing averages $170k/yr according to levels. If Google can pay an H1-B engineer 70% of what a non H1-B employee would get ($196k), they can bid up to 80k and still save money. Since Boeing is going for a high level employee who…

> Since Boeing is going for a high level employee who actually highly skilled "actually": Are you saying that mid-level engineer at Google making ~300K/yr is not actually highly skilled?

Leetcode mediums do not count as skill in this context.

Re: Updates to H-1B

#744

Post by m00x »

HarHarVeryFunny wrote: post #249
Spivak wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like this whole issue could be solved short order if we agreed that not being able to find qualified applicants at a given fixed price does not a shortage make. It's the same with the "fast food shortage," I bet the shortage would dry up real fast at $50/hr so all we're really doing is haggling over price. If in order to hire a H1-B at a salary of x you had to offer US workers 2x with say a $100k floor on x th…

So then call the H1-B program what it is - a way for US tech companies to depress wages to the point that you can't afford to live the US, unless it's a bunch of H-1B holders living together in a house share. The same goes for offshoring for jobs. Lovely for shareholders and the CEO's bonus, but not so great for US residents having to compete with them who are paying US cost of living, not Indian/etc overseas cost of…

If the H1B is paid $400k, is it really depressing salaries? It's more about having employees that are 10-15% better than the competition if you can, which makes you much more likely to beat them.

Re: Updates to H-1B

#745

Post by baq »

nativeit wrote: post #676
SauciestGNU wrote: post #658

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would I work in person for less money when I can work remote? For in person work on critical applications like satellites, I'd expect (spitballing here) a staff eng to be making 300k base with substantial bonus/espp on top. Consider that most midsize tech companies are going to pay staff level 200k or above and ask how the company in question compares, before pricing in the crushing inflexibility of in person wor…

[flagged]

That’s what they want you to believe so they can pay you less than Google. Meanwhile the googlers got rich and are doing fulfilling and meaningful work on their own pace once they quit.

Re: Updates to H-1B

#746

Post by meme3 »

booleandilemma wrote: post #357
HarHarVeryFunny wrote: post #161

A supposed shortage of qualified US applicants for tech jobs, especially software developers, doesn't jibe with the huge numbers of US developers currently looking for work, including highly experienced older workers suffering from age discrimination. I'd be surprised if more than 5-10% of H-1B positions are ones where the hiring company has even looked for US applicants.

H-1B is a scam for hiring Indian developers who then become beholden to the companies they work for. That's it.

I’m just an outside observer but I would say it’s probably not all a scam. Most of it absolutely is though.

Generally I just see a lot of unfocused writing in this thread. Even the reply to your post is an attempt to muddy the waters with some ambiguous statement. I guess this is a community of developers and we tend to have difficulty with politics and the real world :-)

Re: Updates to H-1B

#747

Post by pikclingoil »

intended wrote: post #735
tgma wrote: post #479

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We cannot find qualified applicants > No, we don’t pay as much as Meta. So, essentially, you are seeking special treatment from US citizens. I’m not saying this is always unreasonable, but you’re in the territory of a centrally planned economic decision, and in the US philosophy that is supposed to be done minimally. Maybe the right thing is for your company to shut down or change their line of business, freeing up…

IF Meta is the benchmark for “good” pay, then this is nuts. There are far more people who need code, than just the people at FAANG companies. Are you saying that these firms are economically uncompetitive, with META, and should shut shop?

>Are you saying that these firms are economically uncompetitive, with META, and should shut shop?

A company with same requirements but not the funding? Absolutely

>There are far more people who need code, than just the people at FAANG companies.

With different requirements you can find way more people.

Re: Updates to H-1B

#748

Post by ikiris »

m00x wrote: post #739
diob wrote: post #724

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, it just sounds like the ole "no one wants to work anymore" line when really it's you're not paying enough.

We pay $400-700k for L4-L6 and we have a hard time finding qualified candidates.

Then it’s not enough. This isn’t hard.

Re: Updates to H-1B

#749

Post by throwaway2037 »

m00x wrote: post #736
HarHarVeryFunny wrote: post #161

A supposed shortage of qualified US applicants for tech jobs, especially software developers, doesn't jibe with the huge numbers of US developers currently looking for work, including highly experienced older workers suffering from age discrimination. I'd be surprised if more than 5-10% of H-1B positions are ones where the hiring company has even looked for US applicants.

I do coding interviews 2-3x/week for a private, but large company. We do not lack candidates, but we lack qualified candidates. Most people that I interview have no clue how software actually works. Most are leetcode monkeys or just really awful. We mostly hire seniors because of the industry we're in, but we've started hiring interns and juniors due to the lack of decent candidates. We'd love to hire US candidates,…

If this true, why doesn't FAANG have the same problems? I noticed that your post did not discuss any of the negatives about your company or its offers. When I have struggled in the past to hire, it is always because my company or its offers were pathetic. Pretty simple. If your company or offers are weak, then your candidate pipeline will (likely) be weak.

Re: Updates to H-1B

#750

Post by baq »

CrI0gen wrote: post #711
seanmcdirmid wrote: post #580

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you are a citizen but your spouse is not a US citizen, does that count as an out? I hard a while ago that having a spouse from China could ruin your chances of getting security clearance, but I’m not sure if naturalizing solves that problem or not.

Yes, it will make a huge impact during the investigation and adjudication process. For TS and TS/SCI, even with naturalization the chances for approval will be slim and naturalization likely won't help, especially if they have family in China. For the government, it's all about calculating risk of someones loyalty, character and having things that can be exploited by financial issues (debt is the biggest disqualifier…

> debt is the biggest disqualifier

If they have a good candidate and the only problem is debt, they should offer to pay it off. They have no qualms printing billions to save some broken banks.

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