[Mr. K]

I worked with a bunch of these H1B visa guys who were getting paid HALF what i was

Fortunately they were only worth half too

We have long since completed the brain-drain from India, and now the incompetant ones are getting through

Good for me, since I am making even MORE money fixing their source code.

[Resolute Conservative]

No there is not. They just don’t want to hire them for some reason. Salary too high, who knows?

[556x45]

Its strange theyre even taking this approach (visas). I think its cheaper to simply open an office in {fill in your country of choice} and be done with it. For some long time having a ‘branch’ in India has been the hot ticket.

[jeffc]

I worked in IT for over 20 years. My experience is, when times get tough, businesses demand someone steeped in every little niche program and machine experience.

You may have 10 years experience on the Alpha-Omega Two, but they want someone experienced on the Alpha-Omega One, and your experience on Two doesn't qualify you. Same goes for languages: version 4.2.10 is no good if they want someone who knows 4.2.11 (minor changes).

Businesses then claim there's no one available with the experience and demand (cheaper) foreign labor.

I saw an ad recently for telephone customer service at a big phone company. Must have experience, six weeks paid training.....

[bigbob]

The problem with these articles is they lump apples, oranges, and onions all together because they’re round.

There’s no question there’s a lack of workers to fill certain types of jobs, such as those in the skilled trades which have been neglected and ignored under the “college for everybody” mantra. See what “Dirty Jobs” guy Mike Rowe is doing about this.

But when they toss out terms like “high tech” or STEM, what are they talking about? Goto to a modern dairy or grain farm and you’ll find the need for technicians who understand communications networks, PLC and VFD programming, and who can troubleshoot and maintain complex computer-controlled systems. Nothing “low tech” about it.

But more often that’s not what they’re talking about — they’re referring to engineering professions, software developers of all proficiency levels, and those who manage projects and oversee this type of work, which can be done anywhere in the world. You can’t outsource the electrician that keeps your factory running - but you can close the whole factory and buy products from offshore. You can’t hire Indians to fix your automated machinery but you can hire them to write the code that makes them work.

The truth is, companies have the option of outsourcing some “high-tech” work at lower cost than paying what it would cost to put a qualified American worker in that job. Smaller, privately owned companies are apt to do it regardless. Public companies that are driven by quarter-over-quarter stock price are more likely to outsource or purchase from suppliers to do.

[SharpRightTurn]

Suckerberg and his buddies should be hung by the thumbs in the public square for what they are doing to American workers. These are the same frauds who claim higher income workers should have higher taxes yet not only never voluntarily send in an extra penny in taxes but spend big bucks looking for tax loopholes.

I’m in favor of outsourcing Suckerberg and the rest of these jerks who want to continue importing massive numbers of third worlders.

[factoryrat]

You can use all of the statistics you like like showing that there's plenty of well qualified Americans are available to fill high tech jobs, but the major companies want dirt cheap labor, and are willing to use any excuse possible to obtain it, at any cost. This includes all of the laws, rules, and regulations that these companies lobbied for to squash the competition, and now use as an excuse to offshore everything to third world slave labor communist countries. And plenty of democrats, republicans, and even so-called conservatives revel in the de-industrialization of the west, even if means their ultimate demise.

These individuals have sowed the seeds of their own destruction.

[zeugma]

One observation I'd make from my time in IT, is that you never want to be at a company where one of these H1B fellows gets into management. There'll never be another native English speaker hired.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

If your list of qualifiers is so extensive that you have to scour the world to find someone to hire perhaps the fault is not in the candidates.