The big FANG companies can definitely afford H-1Bs, but a lot of the high tech startups just can't afford it. (For comparison, about 9% of Google's ca. 100k employees are H-1B; Apple has about 3,100 H-1Bs out of 127k employees) Now, do you know anything about L1 Visas? L1 Visas are much better for the company, because it is harder for that employee to jump to another company. (They'd need to get that company to sponsor an entirely new H-1B Visa) L1s are more likely to be paid a lower rate. L1s need to work at the same company overseas for a year, then they can get an L1 Visa to work in the U.S. I have personally come across Microsoft using L1s, but I don't know how many.
Admit it Nick, H-1B, L1 and other work visas are an insult to the America ln people. The influx of corporate indentured servants depress the wages of Americans while at the same time the immigrations these foreign workers and their families causes extra demand on welfare, social services, and schools which raises taxes on Americans while at the same time driving up inflation in real estate/rents and goods & services. It is the worst kind of corporate welfare born on the backs of the American taxpayer.