Posted on 10/27/2025 10:22:23 AM PDT by marcusmaximus
As the Trump administration makes moves to change the H-1B visa program to benefit American-born workers, Skillstorm CEO Justin Vianello backed those efforts in an interview with Fox News Digital while offering his expertise on other issues that need to be addressed with work visas.
Vianello told Fox News Digital that one of the "biggest challenges" with the current H1B system is the "impact" on college hiring, particularly with computer science and computer engineering graduates.
Vianello explained that the unemployment rate for college graduates with those degrees is significantly higher than the average for all college graduates
-snip-
Vianello went on to explain that data shows H-1B visa holders are paid "significantly less" than their counterparts doing equivalent IT roles which gives them a leg up with employers who are looking to pay less.
"I think it gets a little more broadly than that," Vianello said."In addition to competing with H1V visa holders, college graduates, especially in IT, are also competing with OPT visa holders. This is optional practical training, basically an extension of the F1 visa, which is a student visa, which allows you, if you're a STEM graduate, to work in the U.S. for three years following your graduation."
"Now, the OPT visa holders don't pay Social Security or Medicare taxes, so they're automatically 15% cheaper, and they are typically paid 42% less than their U S counterparts. So as a college grad, you're fighting this three-headed monster. You're graduating with student debt, you've got H1B visa holders and OPT Visa holders who have the ability to take your job and cost an employer significantly less, and then you're competing with the third one which is the ability of an employer to simply offshore that work."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
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Just put $200k minimum salaries on H-1B positions and see the demand for the program dry up.
“OPT”
It is very important to get a job in your field soon after graduation.
If you don’t, employers will think others have passed you over for cause and do likewise.
In addition to competing with H1V visa holders, US college graduates,
especially in IT, are also competing with OPT visa holders.
<><>This is optional practical training, basically an extension of the F1 visa,
<><>F1 is a student visa, which allows a STEM graduate, to work in the US 3 years after graduation.
<><>the OPT visa holder doesn’t pay Social Security or Medicare taxes, so they’re 15% cheaper,
<><>they are typically paid 42% less than their U S counterparts.
<><>So a US college grad is fighting this three-headed monster.
<><>graduating with student debt,
<><>H1B visa holders and OPT Visa holders who cost an employer significantly less,
<><>and US grads compete w/ a US employer’s ability to simply offshore that work to India.
“$200k minimum”
The minimum should be about 20% above the US average for the degree type and years of experience.
No. Why?
1. The "can overwork them to meet unreasonable schedules" premium is worth far more than 20%; and
2. The "I'm Indian / Chinese and will hire only Indian / Chinese, whee!!" premium is worth far more than 20%.
Just stop the whole damn system. No "tinkering". No "reform" (with plenty of loopholes.
Just end H-1B, OPT, Green Cards, H2, you name it, just end it.
It's high time America becomes for Americans again!
End the program. There are plenty of US workers. Any temporary shortages will be made up by the increased demand for US graduates attracting more students into those fields.
FR is not a dating service.
If you wish to get paid for hooking Marcus up with a Ukrainian beauty, do it elsewhere.
Pretend you are paid to post here to keep the H-1B program alive and pretend to earn your keep.
Understand well that modifications are needed. Student loans are being collected on again. This is happening while personnel demand for most technology areas is softening. American citizens with technical degrees are often in a bad financial situation. Even habitually stupid RINOs in DC are aware of the underemployment misery of millions of US college graduates.
Hardliners will end up in the gutters like misdirected bowling balls. Be a voice of reason. You have a chance to state a change proposal.
My understanding is that these visa holders cannot be paid less than the median salary for their industry and job title, based on education level.
“From sea to shining sea, we must be H1B Visa free!”
Exactly!
Because of above, Americans do not like to study these, arguably pretty hard, topics.
You work your butt off in college and then you get displaced by some H1B guy or they even force you to train you Chinese replacement!
No wonder, there are shortages in these areas.
The solution is painful for economy.
Banning or restricting these visas.
After a while, Americans realize, there is good carrier looking for them in STEM, and start enrolling themselves in big numbers.
Then wait 4-5 years, and voila, H1B becomes obsolete!
all together something like 8-10 years of shortages!
“ If you wish to get paid for hooking Marcus up with a Ukrainian beauty, do it elsewhere.”
We tried that, but Laz got to her first.
“a US employer’s ability to simply offshore that work to India”
The Indian people tell me the tech work is almost done.
Let’s start up the marketing campaign.
We’ll need...$....
....
You said it was almost done.
My people told me....
....
I think you’ve made it clear why Indians don’t like to tell their superiors about problems.
“ H-1B visa holders are paid “significantly less” than their counterparts doing equivalent IT roles which gives them a leg up with employers who are looking to pay less”
Nothing to do with salary and everything to do with benefits. An employee’s health care, unemployment insurance, contributions to retirement plans all go away with H1B. The employer uses that savings to alleviate the company’s costs.
I’m curious to see data behind the “being paid 42% less” figure. My understanding is that “visa holders
cannot be paid less” than the median salary for their industry and job title, based on education level.
What the Silicon Valley elite really mean but can't say is that they can pay some modern day tech coolie from India 1/2 or even 1/3 of what they can pay an American tech worker. That's what they mean by a "shortage", and why they claim there's an overwhelming need for an inexpensive and liberal H1B guest worker program.
EQAndyBuzz wrote: H-1B visa holders paid “significantly less”
has nothing to do w/ salary ..... and everything to do w/ benefits.
An employee’s health care, UI, and contributions to retirement plans all go away with H1B.
The US employer uses that savings to alleviate the company’s costs.
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