[zeestephen]

Re: “The simple way to solve this problem is to do just what the Japanese do with imported workers: require the companies to pay them at least 10% over the going wage with similar workers in the industry.”

There is one huge difference...

The Japanese have very few foreign born citizens or permanent legal residents.

America imports 1.25 million, mostly low skill, LEGAL immigrants EVERY year.

The size of our low skill work force, and the size of our Information Technology workforce, have been massively distorted by LEGAL immigration.

Bottom Line - American wages are already depressed by a massive oversupply of labor.

If we import more foreign labor with work visas, wages will go down more, even with a 10% premium.

[Vigilanteman]

No they won't. Because companies will decide that if they have to pay a 10% premium over American workers, then the American workers just might be able to do the job as well.

They can't undercut wages by having to pay more.