[discostu]

But there's problems even with the qualified ones, some of them are simply too expensive. When I was going over resumes it was a startup company, saw some dream candidates but there was no way in hell we could afford them. On the other side we don't know hwat their resumes looked like. A crappy resume can get a person stuck in the no pile VERY quickly. I've seen at least a dozen resumes that were so hideous in appearance and organization I didn't read them at all, I figured it that was the best layout they could come up with they clearly weren't qualified.

Many positions are never posted and it has nothing to do with immigration. Most guides on getting a job (and even most guides on finding good employees) suggest networking as the A#1 method. That's why one should never burn bridges. Posting positions costs a lot of time and money, mostly because of the flood of resumes you'll get, it's something to be avoided if you can. Sucks for people who's network has run dry (boy do I know that), but that's how things go.

[blueriver]

But there's problems even with the qualified ones, some of them are simply too expensive.

Is this an assumption on your part? Most people do not put their salary requirements on their resume so how would you know they are too expensive? A lot of laid-off experienced engineers may not be as expensive as you think.

Regarding the posting of H-1B jobs, my gut feeling (I may be wrong) is that if a company wants to hire an H-1B for a job they most likely do not even bother looking at the American labor pool. They simply go to an immigration attorney and put in a request for an indentured servant.