4 ms·

It's hard to convey to a citizen how demoralizing being on an H1B is. If you get laid off, you have at best 30 days to find a new job and transfer your visa (fr

It's hard to convey to a citizen how demoralizing being on an H1B is. If you get laid off, you have at best 30 days to find a new job and transfer your visa (from what I remember), otherwise you have to leave the country. H1B does not allow moonlighting. You can't start a startup by yourself. You can't take significant time off between jobs unless you transfer your visa and negotiate it. Your spouse likely won't be able to work (it's not trivial). You can't protest unfair working conditions to the extent a citizen can, because getting fired is effectively exile. Calling it indentured servitude is accurate. I'm sure most people understand that it's a transactional relationship, I.e. you get to live in the country while you work and that's it, but if you live in a city for several years and settle in, form friendships, hobbies, and maybe relationships, it's very difficult to put all of that at risk for any reason.

quicklime 6y ago
> If you get laid off, you have at best 30 days to find a new job and transfer your visa (from what I remember), otherwise you have to leave the country I agree the terms are not good, but isn’t it 60 days? https://cilawgroup.com/news/2017/02/24/uscis-creates-60-day-grace-period-following-termination-of-employment-for-h-1bs-and-others/ https://cilawgroup.com/news/2017/02/24/uscis-creates-60-day-...
- deegles 6y ago
  Ah, I was on H1B until 2015, so it was still 30 days for me. Glad it's been increased.
ip26 6y ago
if you live in a city for several years and settle in, form friendships, hobbies, and maybe relationships I suddenly find myself wondering if the path to reform for H1B could be short duration combine with some kind of fast-track naturalization. Does it even make sense for the transactional H1B to be so long term? If the H1B led to rapid naturalization, it would naturally curtail use of H1B over time, as the US population of individuals suited for the job would be growing ipso facto.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- ardy42 6y ago
  > I suddenly find myself wondering if the path to reform for H1B could be short duration combine with some kind of fast-track naturalization. Does it even make sense for the transactional H1B to be so long term? I agree, but I think you mean permanent residency. Naturalization is the step after that. The H1B should really be a kind of temporary defined-term green card that can be used with any employer (or none), with a quick path to a green card for anyone who can prove consistent employability. I think an initial sponsorship is fine, but tying the visa to the sponsorship is really only beneficial to the employer. If they have a true need to sponsor an immigrant, they shouldn't have any problem keeping their offer attractive enough that retention shouldn't be a problem.
- sjg007 6y ago
  H1B, then green card, then citizenship. Different countries have different wait times.
  - digianarchist 6y ago
    You can go straight to Green Card via EB sponsorship but no employer wants to do that because it takes forever to process.
- daotoad 6y ago
  Frankly, if you qualify for H1B, you really should qualify for a green card (resident alien status). Do we really want to bring skilled workers to the US, give them work experience and training that raises their skill level even higher, and then kick them out of the country? That seems like an unimaginably stupid idea. We should be seeking to retain highly skilled immigrants, not flushing them out of the country.
  - thejynxed 6y ago
    We should, but you'll be facing major pushback not just by US politicians, but in regards to Indian nationals, certain very large companies who's entire business model relies on H1-B being like it is because one of their intentions is exactly to have them come here, get any extra training, experience, etc and then farm them out to native corporations.

quicklime 6y ago

> If you get laid off, you have at best 30 days to find a new job and transfer your visa (from what I remember), otherwise you have to leave the country I agree the terms are not good, but isn’t it 60 days? https://cilawgroup.com/news/2017/02/24/uscis-creates-60-day-grace-period-following-termination-of-employment-for-h-1bs-and-others/ https://cilawgroup.com/news/2017/02/24/uscis-creates-60-day-...

deegles 6y ago
Ah, I was on H1B until 2015, so it was still 30 days for me. Glad it's been increased.

ip26 6y ago

if you live in a city for several years and settle in, form friendships, hobbies, and maybe relationships I suddenly find myself wondering if the path to reform for H1B could be short duration combine with some kind of fast-track naturalization. Does it even make sense for the transactional H1B to be so long term? If the H1B led to rapid naturalization, it would naturally curtail use of H1B over time, as the US population of individuals suited for the job would be growing ipso facto.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
ardy42 6y ago
> I suddenly find myself wondering if the path to reform for H1B could be short duration combine with some kind of fast-track naturalization. Does it even make sense for the transactional H1B to be so long term? I agree, but I think you mean permanent residency. Naturalization is the step after that. The H1B should really be a kind of temporary defined-term green card that can be used with any employer (or none), with a quick path to a green card for anyone who can prove consistent employability. I think an initial sponsorship is fine, but tying the visa to the sponsorship is really only beneficial to the employer. If they have a true need to sponsor an immigrant, they shouldn't have any problem keeping their offer attractive enough that retention shouldn't be a problem.
sjg007 6y ago
H1B, then green card, then citizenship. Different countries have different wait times.
- digianarchist 6y ago
  You can go straight to Green Card via EB sponsorship but no employer wants to do that because it takes forever to process.
daotoad 6y ago
Frankly, if you qualify for H1B, you really should qualify for a green card (resident alien status). Do we really want to bring skilled workers to the US, give them work experience and training that raises their skill level even higher, and then kick them out of the country? That seems like an unimaginably stupid idea. We should be seeking to retain highly skilled immigrants, not flushing them out of the country.
- thejynxed 6y ago
  We should, but you'll be facing major pushback not just by US politicians, but in regards to Indian nationals, certain very large companies who's entire business model relies on H1-B being like it is because one of their intentions is exactly to have them come here, get any extra training, experience, etc and then farm them out to native corporations.