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I'm not a fan of the program, after what happened in Disney. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/04/us/last-task-after-layoff-at-disney-train-foreign-replacements.h

by MollyR 9y ago

I'm not a fan of the program, after what happened in Disney. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/04/us/last-task-after-layoff-at-disney-train-foreign-replacements.html https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/04/us/last-task-after-layoff... It really soured me on the whole program.

dirkdk 9y ago
yeah an obvious way to improve the program is to require the applicant to have much more added value than the average American worker. I would argue that salary is the best but still a very poor indicator. What about fields where the average salary is low like agriculture or areas like North Dakota where the cost of living is low and therefore salaries are low? I think the USCIS should start to calculate these numbers per industry and geographical area
- frankchn 9y ago
  The Department of Labor does (here is one for Software Developers in the Bay Area: http://www.flcdatacenter.com/OesQuickResults.aspx?area=36084&code=15-1133&year=18&source=1 http://www.flcdatacenter.com/OesQuickResults.aspx?area=36084...) and requires that H1B applicants be paid at or above market rate for a given job code and level.
- wagecuck 9y ago
  If salaries are low, the employer doesn't need a visa program. They need to raise wages.
vichu83 9y ago
Well these jobs aren't worth the pay American expect to be paid. As how LCD tv's costed >$2000 in 2012 and not it just costs ~$500. These low quality jobs pay goes down. If not the low paid H1B workers, these jobs would have been outsourced to those countries. These worker didn't update their skills for changing times. I still keep reading new stuff to keep myself updated and my wife complains that I am always with computer and books. I am an immigrant in H1B, been here over 10 years. I agree like any system people will find ways to abuse it, like Wall Street abused sub prime mortgage and brought the whole world to knees. We should come up with better ways to regulate the system rather than racially profile and oppressing us.
- h_r 9y ago
  Well these jobs aren't worth the pay American expect to be paid It really sounds as if you're agreeing with the critics from the article mentioned. From that article: According to federal guidelines, the visas are intended for foreigners with advanced science or computer skills to fill discrete positions when American workers with those skills cannot be found. Their use, the guidelines say, should not “adversely affect the wages and working conditions” of Americans. Because of legal loopholes, however, in practice, companies do not have to recruit American workers first or guarantee that Americans will not be displaced. Too often, critics say, the visas are being used to bring in immigrants to do the work of Americans for less money, with laid-off American workers having to train their replacements.
  - Alfredo123 9y ago
    Well H1B is all about cost by design. Say you want person with skill X and there is not a single American citizen with skill X. Theoretically you can always pick a kid from college spend $1M on training him and then hire that guy. There is no need to bring in brown people on H1B. But the thing is that the Company is now losing $1M + time to train the person and USA is losing a bright mind that could have worked on other product. H1B by law are not cheap because the mandated $60K is still higher than most American family earnings. But the cost of hiring American citizen could be $230K where it makes no sense for the company to pursue that opportunity. It is idiotic to assume that H1B alternative is hire American. The alternative could be send jobs to India or China.

by MollyR 9y ago

dirkdk 9y ago

yeah an obvious way to improve the program is to require the applicant to have much more added value than the average American worker. I would argue that salary is the best but still a very poor indicator. What about fields where the average salary is low like agriculture or areas like North Dakota where the cost of living is low and therefore salaries are low? I think the USCIS should start to calculate these numbers per industry and geographical area

frankchn 9y ago
The Department of Labor does (here is one for Software Developers in the Bay Area: http://www.flcdatacenter.com/OesQuickResults.aspx?area=36084&code=15-1133&year=18&source=1 http://www.flcdatacenter.com/OesQuickResults.aspx?area=36084...) and requires that H1B applicants be paid at or above market rate for a given job code and level.
wagecuck 9y ago
If salaries are low, the employer doesn't need a visa program. They need to raise wages.

vichu83 9y ago

Well these jobs aren't worth the pay American expect to be paid. As how LCD tv's costed >$2000 in 2012 and not it just costs ~$500. These low quality jobs pay goes down. If not the low paid H1B workers, these jobs would have been outsourced to those countries. These worker didn't update their skills for changing times. I still keep reading new stuff to keep myself updated and my wife complains that I am always with computer and books. I am an immigrant in H1B, been here over 10 years. I agree like any system people will find ways to abuse it, like Wall Street abused sub prime mortgage and brought the whole world to knees. We should come up with better ways to regulate the system rather than racially profile and oppressing us.

h_r 9y ago
Well these jobs aren't worth the pay American expect to be paid It really sounds as if you're agreeing with the critics from the article mentioned. From that article: According to federal guidelines, the visas are intended for foreigners with advanced science or computer skills to fill discrete positions when American workers with those skills cannot be found. Their use, the guidelines say, should not “adversely affect the wages and working conditions” of Americans. Because of legal loopholes, however, in practice, companies do not have to recruit American workers first or guarantee that Americans will not be displaced. Too often, critics say, the visas are being used to bring in immigrants to do the work of Americans for less money, with laid-off American workers having to train their replacements.
- Alfredo123 9y ago
  Well H1B is all about cost by design. Say you want person with skill X and there is not a single American citizen with skill X. Theoretically you can always pick a kid from college spend $1M on training him and then hire that guy. There is no need to bring in brown people on H1B. But the thing is that the Company is now losing $1M + time to train the person and USA is losing a bright mind that could have worked on other product. H1B by law are not cheap because the mandated $60K is still higher than most American family earnings. But the cost of hiring American citizen could be $230K where it makes no sense for the company to pursue that opportunity. It is idiotic to assume that H1B alternative is hire American. The alternative could be send jobs to India or China.