You didn't answer. Do you think that it's a good idea to continue H1-B visas when we no longer have a shortage of IT workers and instead have a couple million IT workers looking for employment?
The truth is once the economy turns around( and it will be sooner rather than later), this will be a non-issue
Sorry, but this is a much more profound shift than simple cyclical economics.
That's the most accurate point I've seen on this entire thread. The problem with focusing on H1-Bs is that it is already a dead issue. It is much more cost effective to have the programmers stay in their home country and outsource the services overseas.
So now the question becomes one of tariffs/protection. IIRC, in modern times, this country has never placed taxes on imported goods/services EXCEPT when it was proven that they were being sold BELOW their production costs or outright protection of certain industries; eg the Japanse steel/automotive import battles of the 1980s.
Since programming services outsourced to Indian companies are being provided above their cost of production (ie there aren't any gov't subsidies covering the differential), nor are there only 3 big software firms accounting for 100% of US production (a la autos), I find it very difficult to believe that the US will enact any type of tariffs.
If that is the case, then it is futile to waste any time fighting this issue. Given the state of communications technology, technical services can be easily outsourced to foreign countries. Low skill, geographically constrained (local) jobs are subect to displacement from (illegal) immigration.
The key is to find jobs that are local and require good English/inter-personal skills. I was having my car repaired at the local dealer and marveled at how busy it was. In heavily illegal SoCal, every single person was a native English speaker - not just the mechanics, but everyone.
Got me thinking (always a dangerous thing).