3 ms·
> A big complaint seen about H1B process is that it's used to import cheap workers instead of great workers - i.e., not increasing USA quality, but allowing emp
by pslam 14y ago
> A big complaint seen about H1B process is that it's used to import cheap workers instead of great workers - i.e., not increasing USA quality, but allowing employers to decrease average wages.
It is illegal to do that. As part of the H1B process, an employer must demonstrate that a temporary H1B worker will be paid the prevailing wage, using the hiring record of others in the same job role. It is extremely expensive to go through the H1B process and certainly not worth it to get "cheap labor". If there's abuse like this, it's certainly not from the big employers, because it would never pass audit and it simply isn't cost effective.
- PeterisP 14y agoI know that is already [supposed to be] illegal, however, there are valid complaints (such as [1]) that this is happening on large scale in a formally legal way. My proposal should hopefully be more resistant to such manipulations. Furthermore, if you have a genuine need to import talent, you should state that you're willing to pay not 'prevailing wage' but above that. [1] http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9215405/H_1B_pay_and_its_impact_on_U.S._workers_is_aired_by_Congress http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9215405/H_1B_pay_and_... quoting "U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a Democrat whose Congressional district includes Silicon Valley .... the average wage for computer systems analysts in her district is $92,000, but the U.S. government prevailing wage rate for H-1B workers in the same job currently stands at $52,000, or $40,000 less."
- joonix 14y agoThe biggest H1B employers are large IT consulting companies that do a round-robin of cheap Indian IT workers to work in the US and then go back home. The prevailing wage requirement is not grounded in reality. If it were, why would you bring IT consultants from India rather than hire domestically?
- tosseraccount 14y agoOh my! You are right: http://www.businessweek.com/table/08/0305_h1b.htm http://www.businessweek.com/table/08/0305_h1b.htm (business week) shows that the H-1B is used mostly by Indian Outsourcing companies. It's the "outsourcing visa". If companies want to outsource there is little capital controls preventing them. There doesn't need to be these "inexepensive labor" U.S. government provided subsidies for big companies in the form of guest workers. I'd recommend vaccinations for expatriate managers and not more "outsourcing visas".
- jeremyjh 14y agoAs a hiring manager for a large company where I have personally hired sponsored H1B workers, I can tell you that what the employer demonstrates is a perfunctory notice in the workplace, which is worded in a precise way to fulfill all legal requirements and completely confound anyone who may have an interest in knowing a position is (not really) open. 90% of people if you showed them this piece of paper they would not even understand it relates to a job opening. Now in my case, I was always hiring people who I considered to be very strongly skilled (relative to peers working in industry). But having also hired contractors I also know that a lot of the body shops will bring in people and charge them at rates that leave no room for doubt that they are low-skill/low-quality/under-paid.
- mzs 14y agoConsultoconacorp needs people with six years of Go and Raspberry Pi experience. We looked and can't find them.
- tosseraccount 14y agoBasic microeconomics shows that by increasing supply of labor, prices for labor go down. The law of supply and demand can not be repealed by the HR department of Micrsoft, Wipro or Tata consulting filling out some paperwork.