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It is. Best case scenario H1Bs allow companies to avoid training citizens. Worst case (and most common) H1Bs are more exploitable labor compared to citizens. H

It is. Best case scenario H1Bs allow companies to avoid training citizens. Worst case (and most common) H1Bs are more exploitable labor compared to citizens. H1Bs etc just suppress citizens wages and increase profits of capital holders. There’s a very very tiny % that actually aren’t replaceable domestically.

calculatte 2y ago
This is an excellent point and a real litmus test. If there really were a labor shortage companies would be providing training programs to build that labor force. Instead they post job descriptions so niche only a liar could technically qualify.
JAlexoid 2y ago
Fist - it is not companies' responsibility to train anyone. It is not their business. Second - H1b are exploitable, because the system allows it. H1b has demonstrably not suppressed software engineering wages at all. Non-competes, have - on the other hand.
- John_Cena 2y ago
  > H1b has demonstrably not suppressed software engineering wages at all. That's simply impossible; it's basic economics.
  - projectazorian 2y ago
    The lump of labor fallacy is usually covered in “basic economics” classes. There are multiplier effects from clustering of certain types of skilled workers. This increases overall demand and thus overall compensation for everyone in the market. This is why ending the H1B program like posters propose here would be profoundly stupid - if companies can’t staff their teams here, they will staff them elsewhere, and either stop hiring here or close up shop entirely. This will lower salaries and increase unemployment in the relevant fields. You already see this in microcosm due to real estate costs serving as a brake on internal migration, many companies have moved all net new hiring out of the Bay Area. Now admit too many foreign workers at too low wages and you will hit diminishing returns, but we are way short of that point, especially if we can manage to curb abuses of the existing program.
carlosjobim 2y ago
> Best case scenario H1Bs allow companies to avoid training citizens. Best for who? Companies should train their workforce. Or get kicked out of the market, meaning that they should get kicked out of the nation.

calculatte 2y ago

This is an excellent point and a real litmus test. If there really were a labor shortage companies would be providing training programs to build that labor force. Instead they post job descriptions so niche only a liar could technically qualify.

JAlexoid 2y ago

Fist - it is not companies' responsibility to train anyone. It is not their business. Second - H1b are exploitable, because the system allows it. H1b has demonstrably not suppressed software engineering wages at all. Non-competes, have - on the other hand.

John_Cena 2y ago
> H1b has demonstrably not suppressed software engineering wages at all. That's simply impossible; it's basic economics.
- projectazorian 2y ago
  The lump of labor fallacy is usually covered in “basic economics” classes. There are multiplier effects from clustering of certain types of skilled workers. This increases overall demand and thus overall compensation for everyone in the market. This is why ending the H1B program like posters propose here would be profoundly stupid - if companies can’t staff their teams here, they will staff them elsewhere, and either stop hiring here or close up shop entirely. This will lower salaries and increase unemployment in the relevant fields. You already see this in microcosm due to real estate costs serving as a brake on internal migration, many companies have moved all net new hiring out of the Bay Area. Now admit too many foreign workers at too low wages and you will hit diminishing returns, but we are way short of that point, especially if we can manage to curb abuses of the existing program.

carlosjobim 2y ago

> Best case scenario H1Bs allow companies to avoid training citizens. Best for who? Companies should train their workforce. Or get kicked out of the market, meaning that they should get kicked out of the nation.