This discussion should apply to both H-1B workers and other greencard workers and such in the IT and related fields. Considering the layoffs going on at IBM, EBay, Microsoft and PayPal and elsewhere, is there a fundamental need to increase the H-1B visa quota? To me, layoffs in the tech sector might indicate slowing growth from the old rank-and-file which are in need of a correction. However, there has been a generation's worth of wage-stagnation and wealth/income inequality present in the US. Immigration (cheaper labor) and off-shoring are probably the largest factors in this wage stagnation for most Americans. For example, when a poor immigrant comes to the US the inequality in income and wealth manifest themselves immediately. The immigrant is generally already less wealth and less well paid than 'natives'. With that being said, does the US have a lack of IT workers (programmers, database administrators, hardware technicians, server administrators, network administrators, etc) to the extent that it needs to increase the number of H-1B visas, whether through renewals or new applications? Does the US owe it to India to increase this threshold? I've created a poll with three options: 'Increase', 'Decrease', 'Do Nothing' and 'Something Else' in regards to the number of H-1B visa workers in the US.
increase. These are high quality workers and great talent that we need to continue innovating and growing our economy.
Companies are genuinely struggling to find IT talent. There just aren't always good options available and a lot of it is project-oriented, once people hit about 28 they're done traveling. I don't like the middleman though. The "consulting" shops. You have tons of overseas IT professionals hoping to win the H1B lottery so they can come to America and work for a company that bills that person out at $150-$200/hr only to give that employee a small fraction of the bill rate. If they're lucky that company supports them and actually follows through with a Green Card. That person still isn't paid well and the person getting that talent is overpaying for them. Everyone loses. Meanwhile you have Americans with similar skills commanding insane salaries and swinging their dicks around because the talent gap is so huge. I'm all for that, don't get me wrong, but small business needs more affordable IT help. I think something was passed recently where if you own a business or are labeled as a "job creator" you get to come over with far less hassle. I hope it passed.
Either you import them into the country or you export the work to India. Better to make them Americans and keep things in house I say.
There's a lack of good programmers all over the world. The biggest competitive advantage a company can have these days is in its workers. U.S limiting its options reducing the competitive advantage of american based companies hence reducing growth opportunities. The biggest mistake in my view of the american immigration system is that its discouraging quality aducated immigrants by being too difficult in one hand and incouraging illegal immigrants by being too soft on the other hand.
America has plenty of talent. Companies just don't want to pay as much and they have more control over H-1B workers since they can't just quit.
How are H1-B workers needed to innovate and grow our economy? Good point for the first bolded statement. My desire to relocate has dropped dramatically over the past 3 years. Has a lot to do with personal life. Second bolded statement: what kind of IT can small businesses not afford? And what are you referring to as small business: number of employees, revenue, etc? $150-$200 for an employee seems ridiculous. And do you support the collusion efforts of Google and other companies to bar each other from hiring each other's employees to keep wages from rising? When you each refer to talent: do you mean skill or experience?
Wait... Aren't we're talking about 'call center' IT reps...? I don't believe all IT workers can be put in the same category. If so there are many big businesses who out source as well for those services and they've been doing it for years. Getting the same work at a cheaper price (and taking a hit in customer service) to keep their profit margin going. But yet people complain about small construction businesses picking up illegal workers from in front of Home Depot.
