4 ms·

There should be only one parameter that governs the eligibility to specialist visas: the ability to earn a high wage. Companies should bid directly with the sal

by yholio 7y ago

There should be only one parameter that governs the eligibility to specialist visas: the ability to earn a high wage. Companies should bid directly with the salary, and the top X offers get a Visa; the candidate is free to change jobs but is required to maintain within that wage band for the duration of the visa, outside exceptional situations. Any other mechanism affords the opportunity for arbitrage, bureaucracy, legal leeches specialized in exploiting the process etc.

koolba 7y ago
What's awesome about this approach is that it naturally leads to max revenue for the government as well. The only counter I've heard to it is that Joe's Tech Corp in Podunk, USA cannot compete with big city salaries and would never be able to get any filled. Though I see that as a feature not a bug.
- yazan94 7y ago
  Why would that be a feature not a bug? The Amazons, Googles, and Goldman Sachs of the US aren't the only companies that need talent.
  - Mountain_Skies 7y ago
    And even if they were, Google and Amazon (maybe Goldman Sachs too) have talent spread out across the country, even in what is dismissively called flyover country. Certainly these locations aren't their main wells of talent but they're still important to the companies.
- Mountain_Skies 7y ago
  Not all tech workers are created equal and not all companies need tech rock stars. Joe's Tech Corp would be priced out of the H1B market but could still compete for talent in the citizen pool. Different talent levels come with different compensation requirements. I'm trying to come up with the most charitable interpretation of your last sentence but am failing. Was it meant as a "let them eat cake" statement for not being a coastal dweller? Given the many negative effects tech centers are having on local populations, deconcentrating tech across the country seems like it would have positive benefits for many not in the tech industry, which is most people.
  - kmonsen 7y ago
    Money is how we as a society have chosen to decide how resources are allocated. Why would we decide to be 'socialist' here and say use a lottery or some other stupid way? I'm totally amazed how often the US come up with ways for the rich to have the benefits of socialism and the or to have the consequences of capitalism.
    - roywiggins 7y ago
      > Why would we decide to be 'socialist' here and say use a lottery or some other stupid way? we already run an immigration lottery https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/diversity-visa https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/diversity-visa
rdtwo 7y ago
You could give small rural areas a boost by using some sort of formula based on percent Average annual income in the largest metro area in 150mile radius. But the idea is largely good and too fair to implement by any lobbying group

by yholio 7y ago

koolba 7y ago

What's awesome about this approach is that it naturally leads to max revenue for the government as well. The only counter I've heard to it is that Joe's Tech Corp in Podunk, USA cannot compete with big city salaries and would never be able to get any filled. Though I see that as a feature not a bug.

yazan94 7y ago
Why would that be a feature not a bug? The Amazons, Googles, and Goldman Sachs of the US aren't the only companies that need talent.
- Mountain_Skies 7y ago
  And even if they were, Google and Amazon (maybe Goldman Sachs too) have talent spread out across the country, even in what is dismissively called flyover country. Certainly these locations aren't their main wells of talent but they're still important to the companies.
Mountain_Skies 7y ago
Not all tech workers are created equal and not all companies need tech rock stars. Joe's Tech Corp would be priced out of the H1B market but could still compete for talent in the citizen pool. Different talent levels come with different compensation requirements. I'm trying to come up with the most charitable interpretation of your last sentence but am failing. Was it meant as a "let them eat cake" statement for not being a coastal dweller? Given the many negative effects tech centers are having on local populations, deconcentrating tech across the country seems like it would have positive benefits for many not in the tech industry, which is most people.
- kmonsen 7y ago
  Money is how we as a society have chosen to decide how resources are allocated. Why would we decide to be 'socialist' here and say use a lottery or some other stupid way? I'm totally amazed how often the US come up with ways for the rich to have the benefits of socialism and the or to have the consequences of capitalism.
  - roywiggins 7y ago
    > Why would we decide to be 'socialist' here and say use a lottery or some other stupid way? we already run an immigration lottery https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/diversity-visa https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/diversity-visa

rdtwo 7y ago

You could give small rural areas a boost by using some sort of formula based on percent Average annual income in the largest metro area in 150mile radius. But the idea is largely good and too fair to implement by any lobbying group