LOBBYING FAILS, H-1B VISA CAP FALLS to 65,000

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 01, 2003 12:53:47 PM ]via India TImes ^ | OCTOBER 01, 2003 12:53:47 PM | K YATISH RAJAWAT/ECONOMICTIMES.COM

[11th_VA]

MUMBAI: The annual cap for H-1B visas will now be 65,000. This is a sharp drop from the earlier limit of 195,000 visas.

The US plans to enforce this rule from October 1, 2003.

The Indian IT industry has been lobbying hard to freeze H-1B visa limits at current levels. However, these efforts which had the support of some US corporations to retain H-1B visa limits have failed. (Will Europe be the next big hunting ground for Indian IT pros?)

Indian IT professionals are among the largest users of H-1B visas, as US Big Tech shops big from this technical pool. The H1-B visa cap was raised to 195,000 in 02. This particular legislation had a 'sunset' clause. According to this clause, the limit would have (automatically) lapsed on October 1, 2003. Ergo, the H1-B visa annual cap will now fall back to 65,000 visas.

The H1-B visa issue has generated a lot of controversy in the US. Several trade unions representing (local) technology workers have been lobbying against these work permits. The slowdown in the high-tech industry combined with an overall drop in US economic growth has resulted in a number of job losses.

H1-B visa users have been at the receiving end of criticism from unemployed American professionals for taking away their jobs. These visa users are also seen as representative of the trend towards offshore outsourcing trade jargon for moving to cheaper locations like India which is also under flak for spiriting away US jobs.

The visa was created in the early 1950s to give skilled foreign workers a permit to reside in the United States. The H1-B category was added in 1990 to give foreign workers an opportunity to pick up a job with the intention of remaining permanently in the United States.

In 1999, under pressure from high-tech companies and other manufacturers, Congress expanded the limit from 65,000 to 115,000. It raised the cap again to 215,000 in 00 and to 195,000 in 01 and 02.

Top Indian companies have been curtailing the use of H1-B visas for sending employees to the US. Ergo, it unlikely that the offshore outsourcing trend will be affected. Most companies have shifted to the use of L-1 visas (used for intra-company transfers). However, companies whose basic revenue model is supplying manpower to US corporations, ( body-shoppers, are likely to be hit by this move.

[Elliott Jackalope]

Actually, he does, sort of. He answers questions with insults. For some reason he seems to think that an insult is a reasonable answer. I'm convinced he's a DU plant, and his job is to make conservatives look like drooling neanderthals who don't care about anyone or anything other than their stock portfolios. This country had tariffs in place for almost 200 years, but he says that tariffs are socialism. How can anyone argue with "logic" like that? You can't, all you can do is to counter insult with insult, which drags the whole debate down to his gutter level, which he loves.

I no longer respond to his postings, and I would suggest that everyone else on this board do the same.

[Texas_Dawg]

I'd love to truly know what those Chinese think of you. I can only imagine. Man, it would be great to see that. I can understand why you're so unhappy with your life and angry about everything.

Haha. I'm as happy as can be. Does it worry you that I have friends and family members working in the White House? You still thinking about voting for Bush next year? Haha.

[Lazamataz]

As sopmeone who over teh past months has displayed a complete misunderstanding of the priciples of Free Trade by as defined by Smith and Riccardo you are harldy one to be talking about economics a subject in which your knowledge is sorely lacking. Now if you would like to prove me wrong come up with a study that shows a net harm from any tariff the USA has ever imposed. I have been asking for such for months and you have yet to come up with anything. Someone who claims to know economics should be able to back that claim with evidence.

The China_Dawg has never set foot on a college campus, much less gotten a degree.

[Paul Ross]

Bad Dawg!

[maui_hawaii]

The Dawg is a retarded used car salesmen/'stockbroker'...

Can you believe there are morons like him out there actually telling people what to do with their money?

Keep your grandma safe...

[Lazamataz]

Haha. I'm as happy as can be. Does it worry you that I have friends and family members working in the White House? You still thinking about voting for Bush next year? Haha.

OMG! PLEASE! Now you have family in the White House!!! LOL ROLLING ON FLOOR LAUGHING!!!!

CHINA DAWG, YOU ARE A HOOT!

[Texas_Dawg]

I'd love to truly know what those Chinese think of you. I can only imagine. Man, it would be great to see that. I can understand why you're so unhappy with your life and angry about everything.

It also had slavery for nearly 100, but I don't want to bring that back either.

[Joe Hadenuf]

That would sum me up, Nafta was promised to bring loads of new decent paying job to the US. After about ten years where are they? It seems to me we are shipping our jobs off, we don't need to be importing people for the one we still have.

Only a blind fool can't see this.....

[Lazamataz]

Haha. I'm as happy as can be.

(still wiping laughter tears out of my eyes, so pleas e excuse any typos....)

And I also am not buying your claim you are happy. No one who is happy trolls this sort of board looking for negative attention.

[RiflemanSharpe]

Actually, he does, sort of. He answers questions with insults. For some reason he seems to think that an insult is a reasonable answer. I'm convinced he's a DU plant, and his job is to make conservatives look like drooling neanderthals who don't care about anyone or anything other than their stock portfolios. This country had tariffs in place for almost 200 years, but he says that tariffs are socialism. How can anyone argue with "logic" like that? You can't, all you can do is to counter insult with insult, which drags the whole debate down to his gutter level, which he loves.

I no longer respond to his postings, and I would suggest that everyone else on this board do the same.

Agreed.

[Elliott Jackalope]

Notice how some people cannot even keep what has been said straight? Man, some people just should not use drugs.

[Texas_Dawg]

And I also am not buying your claim you are happy. No one who is happy trolls this sort of board looking for negative attention.

It's great fun. It kind of reminds me of home. My friends and I used to go out to our lakehouses and harass rednecks living nearby the same way when we were growing up. It never gets old. :-)

[Slip18]

I think your point should be well taken here, Laz.

Fer goodness sake, TexasDawg is a stockbroker. He only has to show a small, very small, amount of money made in the market place to keep his job. And it's not even his money. It's the money that was invested by the Americans.

Sure hope his name is not traceable. He'll have no clients. Probably an East Indian will get his job.

[Lazamataz]

convinced he's a DU plant

He's definitely a troll. And now he claims he's got family in the White House. Perhaps we should advise Admin Moderator of our suspicions. I caught a very subtle troll recently, Those_Crazy_Liberals, who's intent it was to foment dissension on the forum by relentlessly insulting everyone. You might be right, this might be Those_Crazy_Liberals revisited.

Admin, check Texas_Dawgs IP. If it is the same as Those_Crazy_Liberals, or any other banned party, we have our answer.

[null and void]

See his reply. Reading comprehension isn't his strong suit, is it?

[Lazamataz]

"No one who is happy trolls this sort of board looking for negative attention."

It's great fun. It kind of reminds me of home. My friends and I used to go out to our lakehouses and harass rednecks living nearby the same way when we were growing up. It never gets old. :-)

Perhaps this is not what this forum is intended for.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

Haha. I'm as happy as can be. Does it worry you that I have friends and family members working in the White House? You still thinking about voting for Bush next year? Haha.

I know I'm pretty worried now.

Family and friends in the White House.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Does it worry you that I have friends and family members working in the White House? You still thinking about voting for Bush next year? Haha.

Hey Tex, could you tell some of your family members wandering around the White House to tell Bush that most American's have absolutely had it with this immigration nightmare.

[No.6]

"Is this 65,000 more people a year?"

No, it's 65k total; or rather yes, it's 65k new visas, but the old ones expire and all are part of the 65k, so it's a rolling total.

[Texas_Dawg]

Admin, check Texas_Dawgs IP.

See post #172.