Large Companies Game H-1B Visa Program, and Jobs Leave the U.S.

The New York Times ^ | 10 Nov 2015 | Julia Preston

[Theoria]

Théo Négri, a young software engineer from France, had come up with so many novel ideas at his job at an Internet start-up in San Francisco that the American entrepreneur who hired him wanted to keep him on.

So he helped Mr. Négri apply for a three-year work visa for foreign professionals with college degrees and specialized skills, mainly in technology and science. With his master’s degree from a French university and advanced computer abilities, Mr. Négri seemed to fit the bill.

But his application for the H-1B visa was denied, and he had to leave the United States. Back in France, Mr. Négri used his data skills to figure out why.

The answer was simple: Many of the visas are given out through a lottery, and a small number of giant global outsourcing companies had flooded the system with applications, significantly increasing their chances of success. While he had one application in last year’s lottery and lost, one of the outsourcing companies applied for at least 14,000. The companies were squeezing out American employers like his boss.

“I had this great American dream that got broken,” Mr. Négri said, speaking by telephone from Lyon, France.

Congress set up the H-1B program to help American companies hire foreigners with exceptional skills, to fill open jobs and to help their businesses grow. But the program has been failing many American employers who cannot get visas for foreigners with the special skills they need.

Instead, the outsourcing firms are increasingly dominating the program, federal records show. In recent years, they have obtained many thousands of the visas — which are limited to 85,000 a year — by learning to game the H-1B system without breaking the rules, researchers and lawyers said.

[ConservingFreedom]

insist that H-1Bs be paid at least 10% more than the going wage for the industry.

Make it 50% and I'm on board - if they're really 'the best and the brightest' it's still a bargain.

[Mariner]

And probably an American Nationalist before Conservative Orthodoxy.

First, the nation must preserve itself, and the People. It's the principal duty of set forth in the Constitution.

Unchallenged military.

Free Sea Lanes of Communication.

Trade that is in OUR interests.

Rule of Law and Borders.

I figure we can sort out the rest of it once the Imperative is met.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Thank you for that. Reasoned.

[cicero2k]

Michele Malkin just published a book on this.

Even she said she’s a Trump supporter.

The other limitation is the four year term imposed on people they bring over. That should be set to six months, and these persons should be able to bid on other company’s work, rather than be indentured to the sponsoring firm.

[ConservingFreedom]

And probably an American Nationalist before Conservative Orthodoxy.

First, the nation must preserve itself, and the People. It's the principal duty of set forth in the Constitution.

I'd say that any element of "Conservative Orthodoxy" that is contrary to American nationalism and self-preservation is no true part of American conservatism and must find itself another home.

[Mariner]

"I'd say that any element of "Conservative Orthodoxy" that is contrary to American nationalism and self-preservation is no true part of American conservatism and must find itself another home. "

How far the GOP has fallen.

Open Borders. Legalization. Unrestricted trade with Mercantilists. Bought and Paid for Congress. Offshoring manufacturing without any cost. Diminished military. Continuously depleting Capital Stock.

We'll be lucky to recover from the last 50yrs of corruption.

[GOPJ]

Those ‘large companies’ give mega donations to corrupt democrats... democrats like the CEO’s of GE, FACEBOOK, etc... People who buy off our politicians in exchange for cheap labor. Maybe some of those folks should go to jail for crimes against our country.

[zeestephen]

Re: “Apply again once the Soros/muslim overthrow of europe is finished, and the labor rates are brought down to slave labor levels. Then we will talk.”

Excellent - LOL!

Slightly off topic...

Thousands of low skill workers around the USA are walking off their jobs today and protesting for $15-hour.

They appear to have picked up some vital organizing support from various unions and political candidates.

For the first time since the demand for $15 started a few years ago, I'm beginning to think this issue has real political legs and might be a central issue in the 2016 election.

To me, it's another LOL political moment.

The GOP has enthusiastically supported 30 years of massive LEGAL immigration, mostly because it crushed the wage scale for low skill workers.

Now, the Republican Party may be politically coerced to support a $15 wage!

[zeestephen]

Re: “[H-1B visas] are limited to 85,000 a year...”

Wrong!

85,000 per year - and automatically renewable for 6 years!

And...

Universities, government agencies, and non-profit labs may hire an unlimited number of H-1Bs, which do not count against the quota, and which can be renewed for up to 10 years!

There are at least 550,000 H-1Bs currently in the USA.

Almost all of them are completely average STEM graduates who are willing to work brutal hours for low pay because they want a Green Card.

Almost all of them take a job away from a completely average STEM graduate who is an American citizen.

[Tired of Taxes]

I couldn’t watch the debate tonight. Was the issue of H1B’s brought up?