4 ms·

There is so much hate for the H1-B visa, but let me play devil's advocate. US "lax" (not really) immigration policy improves the image of America/American compa

There is so much hate for the H1-B visa, but let me play devil's advocate. US "lax" (not really) immigration policy improves the image of America/American companies abroad. If US starts tightening immigration laws, US companies will start outsourcing their work (which they have already started). If they start to clamp down on outsourcing, countries like India have no incentive to let US to freely use their market. They would simply follow china's method and restrict entry to all foreign players. If US follows US first policy in everything, the third-world already suspicious of western countries will only see this as west's new imperial ambitions. Software is easy to replicate, specially by people which have already worked in Google, Facebook, etc. People in third world already have expertise to set up the competition to US companies. All that is stopping them is competition from US companies. US being the becon of freedom and hope the world is a net good for US and US businesses according to me.

diogenescynic 8y ago
That’s a fake threat. If they could outsource the work and pay less they already would. They aren’t keeping the jobs in America for their health... Go do it then.
- temp4358 8y ago
  Currently Top Talent in those countries want to move abroad to earn more and have a better standard of living. If they see no way out, they have stay in their countries and then US companies will have access to top talent for cheaper. For example, US is the best destination for doing a Ph.D. currently and ph.D. students then work in US. If US stops them from working here, they will go back work and form competitors. China has already shown that this is achievable.
  - diogenescynic 8y ago
    That might be better for the world. Maybe if everyone wasn’t moving to America, they’d make their own countries better... spread the love out. I’d be fine with a few less tech companies. Life would go on. I care more about the impact on American workers and as I’ve said, bringing in severely underpaid workers that they can abuse isn’t really going to help. Yeah, China is really somewhere people are desperate to get into... the air and freedom! /yawn...
    - temp4358 8y ago
      I am not saying people from around the world are trying to get into china. People of chinese origin have already started to go back and people from china believe they are better in China then is US. They have kept their highest talent and have used them to compete with US in spaces in which US held monopoly for an extremely long time. If other countries get better, US's heigmony over the world will be challenged again and again. US's attracting/sucking talent from around the world keeps US at the top. People have a net positive outlook of US. people want to be in US. If they start seeing US as nothing but an colonial like power, trying to take advantage, then America will lose a lot of its soft power.
      - diogenescynic 8y ago
        So not bringing over underpaid foreign workers makes us MORE colonial? Got it... Some of us don’t care about US hegemony, which doesn’t really exist anyways... this is about labor. You’re just moving the goalposts to all this other non-sensical stuff.
        temp4358 8y ago
        US hegemony doesn't exists LOL US currently controls the entire see trade. International money transfers, etc. If US puts UNILATERAL sanctions on a country, everyone has to follow it. Every country has its advantages. US has capital and already monopolized a lot of industries. India/China have cheap talented labor. They use that to their advantage. If you want to stop them from using any advantage and still demand access to their resources, their markets, that colonization 101. If US puts pressure on the advantage india has, then India will retaliate. Both sides will have loses. At this point, if you are too entrenched in your world view and nothing I say would change your mind, just say so. I am just pointing out that H1-B even if it's causing trouble in US's market (and not that much) it's able to get them world's top talent, makes America looks good and give US advantage over othet countries in terms of talent. Dude just look at Google's CEO or Microsoft's CEO or other immigrants. If these guys were denied visa and they started companies back in their country (maybe they could have, maybe they wouldn't have) none of the jobs you are talking about would exist. This is not a zero-sum game you are making it out to be.

diogenescynic 8y ago

That’s a fake threat. If they could outsource the work and pay less they already would. They aren’t keeping the jobs in America for their health... Go do it then.

temp4358 8y ago
Currently Top Talent in those countries want to move abroad to earn more and have a better standard of living. If they see no way out, they have stay in their countries and then US companies will have access to top talent for cheaper. For example, US is the best destination for doing a Ph.D. currently and ph.D. students then work in US. If US stops them from working here, they will go back work and form competitors. China has already shown that this is achievable.
- diogenescynic 8y ago
  That might be better for the world. Maybe if everyone wasn’t moving to America, they’d make their own countries better... spread the love out. I’d be fine with a few less tech companies. Life would go on. I care more about the impact on American workers and as I’ve said, bringing in severely underpaid workers that they can abuse isn’t really going to help. Yeah, China is really somewhere people are desperate to get into... the air and freedom! /yawn...
  - temp4358 8y ago
    I am not saying people from around the world are trying to get into china. People of chinese origin have already started to go back and people from china believe they are better in China then is US. They have kept their highest talent and have used them to compete with US in spaces in which US held monopoly for an extremely long time. If other countries get better, US's heigmony over the world will be challenged again and again. US's attracting/sucking talent from around the world keeps US at the top. People have a net positive outlook of US. people want to be in US. If they start seeing US as nothing but an colonial like power, trying to take advantage, then America will lose a lot of its soft power.
    - diogenescynic 8y ago
      So not bringing over underpaid foreign workers makes us MORE colonial? Got it... Some of us don’t care about US hegemony, which doesn’t really exist anyways... this is about labor. You’re just moving the goalposts to all this other non-sensical stuff.
      - temp4358 8y ago
        US hegemony doesn't exists LOL US currently controls the entire see trade. International money transfers, etc. If US puts UNILATERAL sanctions on a country, everyone has to follow it. Every country has its advantages. US has capital and already monopolized a lot of industries. India/China have cheap talented labor. They use that to their advantage. If you want to stop them from using any advantage and still demand access to their resources, their markets, that colonization 101. If US puts pressure on the advantage india has, then India will retaliate. Both sides will have loses. At this point, if you are too entrenched in your world view and nothing I say would change your mind, just say so. I am just pointing out that H1-B even if it's causing trouble in US's market (and not that much) it's able to get them world's top talent, makes America looks good and give US advantage over othet countries in terms of talent. Dude just look at Google's CEO or Microsoft's CEO or other immigrants. If these guys were denied visa and they started companies back in their country (maybe they could have, maybe they wouldn't have) none of the jobs you are talking about would exist. This is not a zero-sum game you are making it out to be.