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Thanks to "consulting" companies' abuse of H1B. We should've just have a stack ranking of H1B candidates, based on income (and severe penalties for regression

Thanks to "consulting" companies' abuse of H1B. We should've just have a stack ranking of H1B candidates, based on income (and severe penalties for regression in comp, so you can't just do it for the visa). This would immediately break companies like Infosys that simply spams the lottery system with bogus applications.

paxys 4y ago
The current system is in place only because all of the US companies that benefit from cheap labor provided by the likes of Infosys have lobbied for it.
- manuelabeledo 4y ago
  I doubt it is cheaper at all. H-1B applications must pass the prevailing wage test, i.e. applicants cannot earn less than the prevailing wage for their position at the chosen employment location. Companies like Tata, Infosys, WiPro, etc. need to maintain a part of their workforce in the US for certain projects anyway, so they slave away these applicants with draconian contracts. It's not that they pay them significantly less than any other, but the fact that they can guarantee a 3 to 5 year headcount for their larger US based projects, with a larger talent pool to choose from, if needed.
  - geebee 4y ago
    A shortage at a certain wage level probably indicates that the prevailing wage is too low. So targeted visa programs designed to provide more workers at the prevailing wage can suppress wage growth, which, over time, really is no different from a reduction in wages. This is why a lot of people, like me, favor high levels of general immigration but don't support targeted visas like the H1B. I'm especially opposed to visas that are controlled by the employer and restrict the personal and economic freedom and mobility of immigrant workers in the US. If employers are lobbying for visas that allow someone to work in the US only on the condition that they remain in a specific role at a specific company at a specific salary, that should raise all kinds of red flags. You're allowed to be a software developer in the valley, but you'll be deported if you try to open a small business or enter a different profession or even change employers without new "sponsorship"? I find it remarkable that so many people don't see the egregious problem here.
  - kiratp 4y ago
    I only see one role here that is even ballpark for a SWE in SF. https://h1bdata.info/index.php?em=&job=software+developer&city=san+francisco&year=2022 https://h1bdata.info/index.php?em=&job=software+developer&ci... The prevailing wage test fails to account for stock and bonuses and is basically a joke.
  - mattnewton 4y ago
    How could it not be cheaper- H1B applicants have to perform their jobs virtually under threat of deportation. How are they negotiating for regular raises or stock refreshers in that situation? How often are they changing jobs due to poor working conditions or personal growth if their sponsorship could be jeopardized?
diebeforei485 4y ago
The previous administration wanted to do this, but it was way too late and they ran out of time to implement it properly - https://insights.dice.com/2021/07/07/trump-h-1b-rule-could-have-raised-visa-wages-now-its-dead/ https://insights.dice.com/2021/07/07/trump-h-1b-rule-could-h... Soviet-style labor lotteries are not a good system. Those "consulting" companies know how to abuse that system.
8note 4y ago
It'd be better to have a dedicated tech visa -- h1b handles a wide variety of roles that have different salary ranges
amf12 4y ago
> Thanks to "consulting" companies' abuse of H1B. They found the "loopholes". Given that the system is being abused, the government hasn't made much effort in fixing it.
spangry 4y ago
Why doesn't the government auction H1B visas? If H1B numbers are capped then they are a scarce resource that should be price-rationed so they are allocated to their most productive use (i.e. to companies that are willing to pay the most). It would also mean more of the gain from bringing over H1B workers would accrue to the public instead of private companies, which would increase public support for immigration.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

paxys 4y ago

The current system is in place only because all of the US companies that benefit from cheap labor provided by the likes of Infosys have lobbied for it.

manuelabeledo 4y ago
I doubt it is cheaper at all. H-1B applications must pass the prevailing wage test, i.e. applicants cannot earn less than the prevailing wage for their position at the chosen employment location. Companies like Tata, Infosys, WiPro, etc. need to maintain a part of their workforce in the US for certain projects anyway, so they slave away these applicants with draconian contracts. It's not that they pay them significantly less than any other, but the fact that they can guarantee a 3 to 5 year headcount for their larger US based projects, with a larger talent pool to choose from, if needed.
- geebee 4y ago
  A shortage at a certain wage level probably indicates that the prevailing wage is too low. So targeted visa programs designed to provide more workers at the prevailing wage can suppress wage growth, which, over time, really is no different from a reduction in wages. This is why a lot of people, like me, favor high levels of general immigration but don't support targeted visas like the H1B. I'm especially opposed to visas that are controlled by the employer and restrict the personal and economic freedom and mobility of immigrant workers in the US. If employers are lobbying for visas that allow someone to work in the US only on the condition that they remain in a specific role at a specific company at a specific salary, that should raise all kinds of red flags. You're allowed to be a software developer in the valley, but you'll be deported if you try to open a small business or enter a different profession or even change employers without new "sponsorship"? I find it remarkable that so many people don't see the egregious problem here.
- kiratp 4y ago
  I only see one role here that is even ballpark for a SWE in SF. https://h1bdata.info/index.php?em=&job=software+developer&city=san+francisco&year=2022 https://h1bdata.info/index.php?em=&job=software+developer&ci... The prevailing wage test fails to account for stock and bonuses and is basically a joke.
- mattnewton 4y ago
  How could it not be cheaper- H1B applicants have to perform their jobs virtually under threat of deportation. How are they negotiating for regular raises or stock refreshers in that situation? How often are they changing jobs due to poor working conditions or personal growth if their sponsorship could be jeopardized?

diebeforei485 4y ago

The previous administration wanted to do this, but it was way too late and they ran out of time to implement it properly - https://insights.dice.com/2021/07/07/trump-h-1b-rule-could-have-raised-visa-wages-now-its-dead/ https://insights.dice.com/2021/07/07/trump-h-1b-rule-could-h... Soviet-style labor lotteries are not a good system. Those "consulting" companies know how to abuse that system.

8note 4y ago

It'd be better to have a dedicated tech visa -- h1b handles a wide variety of roles that have different salary ranges

amf12 4y ago

> Thanks to "consulting" companies' abuse of H1B. They found the "loopholes". Given that the system is being abused, the government hasn't made much effort in fixing it.

spangry 4y ago

Why doesn't the government auction H1B visas? If H1B numbers are capped then they are a scarce resource that should be price-rationed so they are allocated to their most productive use (i.e. to companies that are willing to pay the most). It would also mean more of the gain from bringing over H1B workers would accrue to the public instead of private companies, which would increase public support for immigration.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]