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We find less need for low-skilled workers.

Well, that's an important point. A large part of our population is only able to handle low-skill work. But we don't need them -- so what happens to them?

There is a huge shortage of workers -— highly skilled ones -— in the U.S. It is somewhat filled by H1B program, but that is a drop in the bucket.

Well, we wouldn't have such a shortage if these highly skilled jobs actually paid well. And why don't they pay well? In part, because H1B's undercut the salary that would otherwise be offered.

Technical work is difficult, requires a constant effort to stay informed on the latest advances, and carries a real fear of age discrimination. It's tough to convince people to go into these fields. Better pay would help, but if we import cheaper labor, then the pay doesn't rise appropriately.

There are a great many 50+ engineers walking around looking for work. But people talk about a shortage of highly skilled workers. This isn't about skills; this is about money. We don't want to pay for highly skilled workers.

“we seem to be finding less need for “workers”.

Not at all. We find less need for low-skilled workers. There is a huge shortage of workers -— highly skilled ones -— in the U.S. It is somewhat filled by H1B program, but that is a drop in the bucket.

What we have is not a shortage of skilled Americans but a shortage of skilled American under 40 who can work at third world salaries. Skilled Americans compete with guest workers who often pay no or little taxes, as well as illegal aliens (visa overstays) who work through temp agencies that vouch for them.

Here is a sampling of interesting articles and studies about H-1B's (and other skilled workers).

If we had been experiencing a shortage of skilled workers salaries would be going up, not down, i.e. unless supply and demand does apply to labor.
starting salaries lower in 2005 than 2001
Hiring younger and cheaper workers is a major motivator in bring in skilled guest workers.
global mythology - shortage of 500,000 knowledge workers

WSJ Disputes Engineer Shortage
global mythology - shortage of 500,000 knowledge workers
How and Why Government, Universities, and Industry Create Domestic Labor Shortages of Scientists and High-Tech Workers
USA Today declares teacher shortage while Dallas fires hundreds
The World's Best at Giving Away Jobs

Currently we are bringing in 125,000 new legal workers per month (a combination of guest workers and green cards), many as the result of so-called free trade agreements that over ride our immigration law and have no accommodation for the unemployment situation in the US.

Siminar on How to Replace Americans With Guest Workers

Addressing the 'brightest and best myth:
Best? Brightest?