4 ms·

1. For a couple of decades, US was the only country paying high salaries. Why would you go through the entire process of immigration if you still end up being m

1. For a couple of decades, US was the only country paying high salaries. Why would you go through the entire process of immigration if you still end up being middle class in a foreign country? Upper middle class or higher is more attractive 2. Immigration is a Network effect. You would prefer a country where you already have acquaintances, friends or family over starting your social life from scratch. 3. Soft power plays a huge role. In many societies being able to go to US has much higher prestige than say Germany, Netherlands or Japan. So many people don't see immigrating to these countries as an actual upgrade in social status back home even if the life might be better

jltsiren 5y ago
1. People who stay in their home countries often make the salary argument, but it's not as common among those who actually emigrate. The availability of interesting jobs is a more likely reason for high-skilled immigrants. For example, the UK used to be a popular immigration destination for EU citizens before Brexit, even though the standard of living was often lower than in their home countries. 2. The network effect is more important for low-skilled immigrants and those planning to make the destination country their new home. High-skilled immigrants typically have an expat mentality. They leave the people they know behind and move to a new place for a specific opportunity. Their country of residence is not their home but a place they happen to be living in at the moment. They are also prepared to move again, should new opportunities arise. 3. The prestige argument is also more important for low-skilled immigrants. For high-skilled immigrants, a more likely reaction is your friends wondering how you can put up with the bureaucratic BS of living as an immigrant in the US. (As an example, because H-1B workers are formally visitors instead of immigrants, most of them are currently unable to visit their friends and family in their home countries.)
- harpratap 5y ago
  Maybe we have different definitions of what "High skilled" truly means. All the "High skilled" people I know (those who actually qualified and got the High skilled visas in various developed countries) are influenced by the 3 points I wrote above. Also you are confusing immigrant (H1B is an immigration visa unlike L1) with emigrant, the mentality is very different between the two. High skilled immigrant != Emigrant
  - jltsiren 5y ago
    I'm in the highly skilled category myself, and half the people I interact with have been there at one point or another. From what I have seen, the kind of person who is willing to relocate to a new country for a job opportunity is likely to do so again, should a better opportunity arise. Many people I know have worked for a few years in the US, but most of them have left for better opportunities elsewhere. And once they grow older, the "better opportunities" are more likely to involve living closer to friends and family or a good environment for raising kids than higher salaries. The immigrant/emigrant question is a matter of perspective. An immigrant to one country is an emigrant from another. H-1B is a dual-purpose non-immigrant visa. When you have obtained/extended your H-1B status and are applying for the entry visa required for international travel, you are required to provide a permanent address outside the US. Once you enter the country, the immigration officials really don't like it if you claim you are living in the US. And because H-1B workers are not US residents from immigration perspective, most of them are currently banned from entering the country if they have visited places like the UK, Schengen area, or India in the past two weeks.
    - harpratap 5y ago
      > the kind of person who is willing to relocate to a new country for a job opportunity I think herein lies the crux of difference in our opinions. Most immigrants I know don't immigrate just for mere job opportunity, they go in with the intention of changing their lives and settle forever. They are not treating this like a Working Holiday Visa > And because H-1B workers are not US residents from immigration perspective, most of them are currently banned from entering the country if they have visited places like the UK, Schengen area, or India in the past two weeks. F1 visa is technically a non-immigrant visa and yet they are allowed entry. The entry ban has nothing to do with whether your visa is immigrant or not
      - jltsiren 5y ago
        > I think herein lies the crux of difference in our opinions. Most immigrants I know don't immigrate just for mere job opportunity, they go in with the intention of changing their lives and settle forever. They are not treating this like a Working Holiday Visa I don't think I've ever met highly skilled immigrants like that. Many people first move to a new country in search of better life and then become highly skilled there, but those are not the kind of immigrants this discussion is about. The highly skilled immigrants I know switch jobs once in a while, and sometimes the new job happens to be in another country. While they are building new lives in their current country of residence, they are not truly committed to remaining there. Some stay long enough to get citizenship and some even retire in the country, but the reason to move again may come at any time. The first international move is usually the hardest. After that, you have accepted the idea that switching countries is possible, and international moves are no longer that different from domestic moves.

jltsiren 5y ago

1. People who stay in their home countries often make the salary argument, but it's not as common among those who actually emigrate. The availability of interesting jobs is a more likely reason for high-skilled immigrants. For example, the UK used to be a popular immigration destination for EU citizens before Brexit, even though the standard of living was often lower than in their home countries. 2. The network effect is more important for low-skilled immigrants and those planning to make the destination country their new home. High-skilled immigrants typically have an expat mentality. They leave the people they know behind and move to a new place for a specific opportunity. Their country of residence is not their home but a place they happen to be living in at the moment. They are also prepared to move again, should new opportunities arise. 3. The prestige argument is also more important for low-skilled immigrants. For high-skilled immigrants, a more likely reaction is your friends wondering how you can put up with the bureaucratic BS of living as an immigrant in the US. (As an example, because H-1B workers are formally visitors instead of immigrants, most of them are currently unable to visit their friends and family in their home countries.)

harpratap 5y ago
Maybe we have different definitions of what "High skilled" truly means. All the "High skilled" people I know (those who actually qualified and got the High skilled visas in various developed countries) are influenced by the 3 points I wrote above. Also you are confusing immigrant (H1B is an immigration visa unlike L1) with emigrant, the mentality is very different between the two. High skilled immigrant != Emigrant
- jltsiren 5y ago
  I'm in the highly skilled category myself, and half the people I interact with have been there at one point or another. From what I have seen, the kind of person who is willing to relocate to a new country for a job opportunity is likely to do so again, should a better opportunity arise. Many people I know have worked for a few years in the US, but most of them have left for better opportunities elsewhere. And once they grow older, the "better opportunities" are more likely to involve living closer to friends and family or a good environment for raising kids than higher salaries. The immigrant/emigrant question is a matter of perspective. An immigrant to one country is an emigrant from another. H-1B is a dual-purpose non-immigrant visa. When you have obtained/extended your H-1B status and are applying for the entry visa required for international travel, you are required to provide a permanent address outside the US. Once you enter the country, the immigration officials really don't like it if you claim you are living in the US. And because H-1B workers are not US residents from immigration perspective, most of them are currently banned from entering the country if they have visited places like the UK, Schengen area, or India in the past two weeks.
  - harpratap 5y ago
    > the kind of person who is willing to relocate to a new country for a job opportunity I think herein lies the crux of difference in our opinions. Most immigrants I know don't immigrate just for mere job opportunity, they go in with the intention of changing their lives and settle forever. They are not treating this like a Working Holiday Visa > And because H-1B workers are not US residents from immigration perspective, most of them are currently banned from entering the country if they have visited places like the UK, Schengen area, or India in the past two weeks. F1 visa is technically a non-immigrant visa and yet they are allowed entry. The entry ban has nothing to do with whether your visa is immigrant or not
    - jltsiren 5y ago
      > I think herein lies the crux of difference in our opinions. Most immigrants I know don't immigrate just for mere job opportunity, they go in with the intention of changing their lives and settle forever. They are not treating this like a Working Holiday Visa I don't think I've ever met highly skilled immigrants like that. Many people first move to a new country in search of better life and then become highly skilled there, but those are not the kind of immigrants this discussion is about. The highly skilled immigrants I know switch jobs once in a while, and sometimes the new job happens to be in another country. While they are building new lives in their current country of residence, they are not truly committed to remaining there. Some stay long enough to get citizenship and some even retire in the country, but the reason to move again may come at any time. The first international move is usually the hardest. After that, you have accepted the idea that switching countries is possible, and international moves are no longer that different from domestic moves.