There shouldn't be any problem getting good programmers if you are willing to pay more for them, train them, and entertain the possibility of remote work. With

There shouldn't be any problem getting good programmers if you are willing to pay more for them, train them, and entertain the possibility of remote work. Without naming places and companies outside SV: it is not actually necessary to bring in H1Bs, put all their paperwork which must legally be displayed in a locked glass case and pay them a "prevailing wage" near the bottom of what people are making in the area for similar work with similar tools. It is also not necessary to hire people as "temporary contractors" to pay less tax while demanding a permanent commitment to a job done under close supervision. It often isn't necessary to require 10 years experience with all the exact tools you use even for junior positions. This stuff is not fiction, it's totally ordinary and it's happening all over the place. I understand why someone with vested interests would want to bring down wages with increased supply. But this isn't a crisis of low supply, when everyone insists on having "the best" or on getting a great bargain. There is no good reason to report a shortage while there are smart and skilled people unemployed or working menial jobs all over the place.