[FreePaul]

If a company really can't find skilled workers in this country they should be allowed to hire competent workers from another country. On the other hand they should be required to demonstrate that the workers they hire are doing work that no available US workers can do. Maybe if we put it on the same basis as the civil rights laws and let people sue because the have been discriminated against for being US citizens the companies would have a chance to prove their case.

I've worked for companies which went to some ridiculous extremes to write job descriptions for the purpose of excluding US applicants. I never saw any foreign worker hired for a job that couldn't be done by a US citizen. Sometimes it doesn't even make sense in dollars and cents. They often pay foreign workers extra for living expenses, transportation and family allowances.

[monkeywrench]

"Sometimes it doesn't even make sense in dollars and cents. They often pay foreign workers extra for living expenses, transportation and family allowances."

Maybe because the real goal is balkinazation of USA. Picture many fighting factions which can't/won't unite. Further erosion of culture etc...til there's nothing left of good ole USA. Next civil war. Got World Govt.?

[Lessismore]

If a company really can't find skilled workers in this country they should be allowed to hire competent workers from another country.

If a company really can't find skilled workers in Houston, they should be allowed to move to another part of the United States.

A sure-fired way to go broke would be to open a book store in Houston!

[jpl]

If a company really can't find skilled workers in this country they should be allowed to hire competent workers from another country.

Anyone who would seriouly believe that this is case would believe just about anything.

[SauronOfMordor]

On the other hand they should be required to demonstrate that the workers they hire are doing work that no available US workers can do.

If what they want to hire is a plain Java developer, they will be unable to do this.

Realisticly, it is absurd to argue that the US labor pool does not have SOMEBODY that will fit your requirement (at US prevailing wage, which is the point here). In any given year, there is only likely to be a handful of openings that MUST be filled from overseas, almost always some researcher who has been doing work in some esoteric field

[DuncanWaring]

If a company really can't find skilled workers in this country ...

If a company really can't find skilled workers in this country they should consider hiring someone over the age of 25 and paying them more than $10 an hour.