The “H-1B 65,000 Quota” number is everywhere, but that is completely misleading.
That's the yearly quota.
But the H-1B is automatically renewable for six years!
And, there is an additional 20,000 annual quota for PhD STEMs.
And, there is no H-1B quota at all for universities, government agencies, and nonprofit laboratories.
The lowest total estimate for H-1Bs currently working in the USA is 550,000.
The lowest total estimate for OPT “students” currently working in the USA is more than 100,000 - and that number, which has no quota, is now rising at 30% per year.
Just as important as the raw numbers is the quality of these foreign workers.
They are NOT elite scientists and engineers.
They are completely “average” scientists and engineers who compete directly against “average” American scientists and engineers.
My advice to 18 year old Americans just starting college: unless you have elite skills, do not even THINK about majoring in science and engineering.
Major in business management, or finance, or an area where your English language skills, interpersonal skills, and cultural knowledge of America give you a clear advantage over the foreign imports.
“They are NOT elite scientists and engineers.”
True - but they work for less and that’s the draw. Even if they’re ‘average’ they’re the people at the top in the cultures they come from... AND they steal jobs from Americans.
If you have the time, please check this out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPjzfGChGlE
And even then you are missing the L1 visa holders.