Immigration 'Reform' Bill Raises H1-B Visa Limit to 180,000

[JimBowie1958]

News : H1B Visa ? Immigration Reform 2013 ? Cap Increase 65K to 110K ? Passes Senate Judiciary committee

◾The annual H1B Visas cap for highly skilled workers will be increased from 65,000 per year to 110,000 per year.
◾The advanced degree H1B cap for STEM degree holders from US schools, will be increased from 20,000 to 25,000 visas.
◾There are provisions mentioned in the bill that the H1B cap could be potentially increased to 180,000 per year, if there is extreme demand for highly skilled workers that fiscal year.

The weasel word 'extreme' is a loophole that the IT companies will drive a MAc truck through and EVERY year will be an extreme year.

I remember when almost every IT guy I met was a Republican. Now, very few will have that parties name associated with them.

Who looks out for the interests of American workers any more? No one.

 

[martybegan]

News : H1B Visa ? Immigration Reform 2013 ? Cap Increase 65K to 110K ? Passes Senate Judiciary committee

◾The annual H1B Visas cap for highly skilled workers will be increased from 65,000 per year to 110,000 per year.
◾The advanced degree H1B cap for STEM degree holders from US schools, will be increased from 20,000 to 25,000 visas.
◾There are provisions mentioned in the bill that the H1B cap could be potentially increased to 180,000 per year, if there is extreme demand for highly skilled workers that fiscal year.

The weasel word 'extreme' is a loophole that the IT companies will drive a MAc truck through and EVERY year will be an extreme year.

I remember when almost every IT guy I met was a Republican. Now, very few will have that parties name associated with them.

Who looks out for the interests of American workers any more? No one.

Its not just IT. I'm an Engineer and I like working with people here on H1-B visas. We dont produce enough engineering grads, and the H1-B's pick up the slack. The ones from countries with English based education systems, in particular, are excellent.

And I find alot of the engineers I see on H1-B's to be very conservative. Its the reason they often leave thier home countries in the first place (or one of the reasons)

IT, of course may be different.

 

[JimBowie1958]

News : H1B Visa ? Immigration Reform 2013 ? Cap Increase 65K to 110K ? Passes Senate Judiciary committee

◾The annual H1B Visas cap for highly skilled workers will be increased from 65,000 per year to 110,000 per year.
◾The advanced degree H1B cap for STEM degree holders from US schools, will be increased from 20,000 to 25,000 visas.
◾There are provisions mentioned in the bill that the H1B cap could be potentially increased to 180,000 per year, if there is extreme demand for highly skilled workers that fiscal year.

The weasel word 'extreme' is a loophole that the IT companies will drive a MAc truck through and EVERY year will be an extreme year.

I remember when almost every IT guy I met was a Republican. Now, very few will have that parties name associated with them.

Who looks out for the interests of American workers any more? No one.

Its not just IT. I'm an Engineer and I like working with people here on H1-B visas. We dont produce enough engineering grads, and the H1-B's pick up the slack. The ones from countries with English based education systems, in particular, are excellent.

And I find alot of the engineers I see on H1-B's to be very conservative. Its the reason they often leave thier home countries in the first place (or one of the reasons)

IT, of course may be different.

A few numbers, and keep in mind that H1-B visas are supposed to be for INDUSTRIES that have critical shortages. We are not talking about just SAP developers, for example, but whole INDUSTRIE's.

Is President Obama Right About Engineers? | Center for Immigration Studies

The 2010 American Community Survey shows:
•There are 101,000 U.S.-born individuals with an engineering degree who are unemployed.

•There are an additional 244,000 U.S.-born individuals under age 65 who have a degree in engineering but who are not in the labor market. This means they are not working nor are they looking for work, and are therefore not counted as unemployed.

•In addition to those unemployed and out of the labor force, there are an additional 1.47 million U.S.-born individuals who report they have an engineering degree and have a job, but do not work as engineers.

•President Obama specifically used the words “highly skilled.” In 2010, there were 25,000 unemployed U.S.-born individuals with engineering degrees who have a Master’s or PhD and another 68,000 with advanced degrees not in the labor force. There were also 489,000 U.S.-born individuals with graduate degrees who were working, but not as engineers.

•Relatively low pay and perhaps a strong bias on the part of some employers to hire foreign workers seems to have pushed many American engineers out their profession.

•There are many different types of engineering degrees. But unemployment, non-work, or working outside of your field is common for Americans with many different types of engineering degrees. (Detailed employment figures for specific types of engineers are provided below.)

•The key policy question for the United States is how many foreign engineers should be admitted in the future. Contrary to President Obama’s statement, the latest data from the Census Bureau indicate there is a very large supply of American-born engineers in the country. It would be better for the president to seek more diverse sources of information than simply relying on “industry” to determine what is going on in the U.S. labor market.

That comes close to TWO MILLION U-6 unemployed/under-employed US citizen engineers who are capable of being hired and retrained which is what US companies are SUPPOSED to do before hiring H1-B's.

Marty, do you mind if I ask how old you are?

 

[martybegan]

News : H1B Visa ? Immigration Reform 2013 ? Cap Increase 65K to 110K ? Passes Senate Judiciary committee



The weasel word 'extreme' is a loophole that the IT companies will drive a MAc truck through and EVERY year will be an extreme year.

I remember when almost every IT guy I met was a Republican. Now, very few will have that parties name associated with them.

Who looks out for the interests of American workers any more? No one.

Its not just IT. I'm an Engineer and I like working with people here on H1-B visas. We dont produce enough engineering grads, and the H1-B's pick up the slack. The ones from countries with English based education systems, in particular, are excellent.

And I find alot of the engineers I see on H1-B's to be very conservative. Its the reason they often leave thier home countries in the first place (or one of the reasons)

IT, of course may be different.

A few numbers, and keep in mind that H1-B visas are supposed to be for INDUSTRIES that have critical shortages. We are not talking about just SAP developers, for example, but whole INDUSTRIE's.

Is President Obama Right About Engineers? | Center for Immigration Studies

The 2010 American Community Survey shows:
•There are 101,000 U.S.-born individuals with an engineering degree who are unemployed.

•There are an additional 244,000 U.S.-born individuals under age 65 who have a degree in engineering but who are not in the labor market. This means they are not working nor are they looking for work, and are therefore not counted as unemployed.

•In addition to those unemployed and out of the labor force, there are an additional 1.47 million U.S.-born individuals who report they have an engineering degree and have a job, but do not work as engineers.

•President Obama specifically used the words “highly skilled.” In 2010, there were 25,000 unemployed U.S.-born individuals with engineering degrees who have a Master’s or PhD and another 68,000 with advanced degrees not in the labor force. There were also 489,000 U.S.-born individuals with graduate degrees who were working, but not as engineers.

•Relatively low pay and perhaps a strong bias on the part of some employers to hire foreign workers seems to have pushed many American engineers out their profession.

•There are many different types of engineering degrees. But unemployment, non-work, or working outside of your field is common for Americans with many different types of engineering degrees. (Detailed employment figures for specific types of engineers are provided below.)

•The key policy question for the United States is how many foreign engineers should be admitted in the future. Contrary to President Obama’s statement, the latest data from the Census Bureau indicate there is a very large supply of American-born engineers in the country. It would be better for the president to seek more diverse sources of information than simply relying on “industry” to determine what is going on in the U.S. labor market.

That comes close to TWO MILLION U-6 unemployed/under-employed US citizen engineers who are capable of being hired and retrained which is what US companies are SUPPOSED to do before hiring H1-B's.

Marty, do you mind if I ask how old you are?

I am 38.

One thing you are misinterpreting is Engineers who are not working as Engineers. All of the ones I know no longer in Engineering are doing it by choice. A few of them became doctors or lawyers. Some work in sales/management now and are thus not counted as engineers, although they are working in jobs they want to be working in. Some of them just got sick of it and decided to do something new.

My company has been letting engineers go for 2 years now due to big jobs ending, and they usually stay unemployed for less than 2 months.

 

[JimBowie1958]

I am 38.

Then you are young enough to prepare. After 50y.o. opportunities are not nearly so numerous. Companies hesitate to hire older people because they think the older person is going to have more sick days, have outdated skills and want more pay than younger people. That is why so many go into management.

One thing you are misinterpreting is Engineers who are not working as Engineers. All of the ones I know no longer in Engineering are doing it by choice. A few of them became doctors or lawyers. Some work in sales/management now and are thus not counted as engineers, although they are working in jobs they want to be working in. Some of them just got sick of it and decided to do something new.

Of the ones I know, about half went into management, and the other half went into part time work or totally unrelated lower paying work like one is now a grocer stocker.

My company has been letting engineers go for 2 years now due to big jobs ending, and they usually stay unemployed for less than 2 months.

How do the over 50 guys do?

 

[martybegan]

I am 38.

Then you are young enough to prepare. After 50y.o. opportunities are not nearly so numerous. Companies hesitate to hire older people because they think the older person is going to have more sick days, have outdated skills and want more pay than younger people. That is why so many go into management.

One thing you are misinterpreting is Engineers who are not working as Engineers. All of the ones I know no longer in Engineering are doing it by choice. A few of them became doctors or lawyers. Some work in sales/management now and are thus not counted as engineers, although they are working in jobs they want to be working in. Some of them just got sick of it and decided to do something new.

Of the ones I know, about half went into management, and the other half went into part time work or totally unrelated lower paying work like one is now a grocer stocker.

My company has been letting engineers go for 2 years now due to big jobs ending, and they usually stay unemployed for less than 2 months.

How do the over 50 guys do?

Most of them were 65+ and were ready to retire, and did so.

There is a gap in the 45-55 age group in engineering (at least where I am sitting). You are seeing this cause people in thier 30's getting management jobs they usually didnt get until thier 40's.

 

[JimBowie1958]

Most of them were 65+ and were ready to retire, and did so.

Good for them. I am 55 and not close enough to retire, and my back is getting worse. Woke up this morning and I could not move without my back hurting. Took two pain meds.

Don't know why I am telling you that, but I don't have much hope of ever getting another job. I like it for the most part, but my back pains keep getting stronger generally and more frequent. I think this might be the last company I can ever work for. It's kind of depressing.

If things were like they were in the late 80s and the whole 90s I wouldn't be worried, but so many H1-Bs work in the US now, marginal guys like me have little chance of getting another job.

There is a gap in the 45-55 age group in engineering (at least where I am sitting). You are seeing this cause people in thier 30's getting management jobs they usually didnt get until thier 40's.

Yeah, and the dip we had in 2001 hit engineers pretty hard also. I lost 10 months of employment looking for work in 2001 through 2003. The engineering market has not yet fully recovered and the employers don't want to see things ever get back to where they were in the 90s as far as demand for engineers goes.

 

[martybegan]

Most of them were 65+ and were ready to retire, and did so.

Good for them. I am 55 and not close enough to retire, and my back is getting worse. Woke up this morning and I could not move without my back hurting. Took two pain meds.

Don't know why I am telling you that, but I don't have much hope of ever getting another job. I like it for the most part, but my back pains keep getting stronger generally and more frequent. I think this might be the last company I can ever work for. It's kind of depressing.

If things were like they were in the late 80s and the whole 90s I wouldn't be worried, but so many H1-Bs work in the US now, marginal guys like me have little chance of getting another job.

There is a gap in the 45-55 age group in engineering (at least where I am sitting). You are seeing this cause people in thier 30's getting management jobs they usually didnt get until thier 40's.

Yeah, and the dip we had in 2001 hit engineers pretty hard also. I lost 10 months of employment looking for work in 2001 through 2003. The engineering market has not yet fully recovered and the employers don't want to see things ever get back to where they were in the 90s as far as demand for engineers goes.

What type of engineering?

 

[JimBowie1958]

Most of them were 65+ and were ready to retire, and did so.

Good for them. I am 55 and not close enough to retire, and my back is getting worse. Woke up this morning and I could not move without my back hurting. Took two pain meds.

Don't know why I am telling you that, but I don't have much hope of ever getting another job. I like it for the most part, but my back pains keep getting stronger generally and more frequent. I think this might be the last company I can ever work for. It's kind of depressing.

If things were like they were in the late 80s and the whole 90s I wouldn't be worried, but so many H1-Bs work in the US now, marginal guys like me have little chance of getting another job.

There is a gap in the 45-55 age group in engineering (at least where I am sitting). You are seeing this cause people in thier 30's getting management jobs they usually didnt get until thier 40's.

Yeah, and the dip we had in 2001 hit engineers pretty hard also. I lost 10 months of employment looking for work in 2001 through 2003. The engineering market has not yet fully recovered and the employers don't want to see things ever get back to where they were in the 90s as far as demand for engineers goes.

What type of engineering?

Mostly IT stuff back in the Y2K craze, but it pretty much impacted anyone that had anything to do with computers at all.

In the run up to 2000, companies hired lots of H1-Bs, then post 2000 they laid off their American citizens instead of the H1-Bs.

 

[martybegan]

Good for them. I am 55 and not close enough to retire, and my back is getting worse. Woke up this morning and I could not move without my back hurting. Took two pain meds.

Don't know why I am telling you that, but I don't have much hope of ever getting another job. I like it for the most part, but my back pains keep getting stronger generally and more frequent. I think this might be the last company I can ever work for. It's kind of depressing.

If things were like they were in the late 80s and the whole 90s I wouldn't be worried, but so many H1-Bs work in the US now, marginal guys like me have little chance of getting another job.



Yeah, and the dip we had in 2001 hit engineers pretty hard also. I lost 10 months of employment looking for work in 2001 through 2003. The engineering market has not yet fully recovered and the employers don't want to see things ever get back to where they were in the 90s as far as demand for engineers goes.

What type of engineering?

Mostly IT stuff back in the Y2K craze, but it pretty much impacted anyone that had anything to do with computers at all.

In the run up to 2000, companies hired lots of H1-Bs, then post 2000 they laid off their American citizens instead of the H1-Bs.

Yeah, actually looking at our IT people what is happening is what you are saying, so you are correct. I work for an Environmental/Civil engineering firm and when it comes to the non Computer/IT engineering people we are always short.

Maybe 1B's need to be restricted to non IT high skilled, or maybe better defined. I dont want our need for engineers to be used to mess up american IT jobs.

 

[Unkotare]

News : H1B Visa ? Immigration Reform 2013 ? Cap Increase 65K to 110K ? Passes Senate Judiciary committee

◾The annual H1B Visas cap for highly skilled workers will be increased from 65,000 per year to 110,000 per year.
◾The advanced degree H1B cap for STEM degree holders from US schools, will be increased from 20,000 to 25,000 visas.
◾There are provisions mentioned in the bill that the H1B cap could be potentially increased to 180,000 per year, if there is extreme demand for highly skilled workers that fiscal year.

The weasel word 'extreme' is a loophole that the IT companies will drive a MAc truck through and EVERY year will be an extreme year.

I remember when almost every IT guy I met was a Republican. Now, very few will have that parties name associated with them.

Who looks out for the interests of American workers any more? No one.

Encouraging more highly skilled workers to come (or stay) here legally? Sounds good to me. It's unskilled (or even anti-skilled) people coming here illegally that's the problem.

 

[JimBowie1958]

News : H1B Visa ? Immigration Reform 2013 ? Cap Increase 65K to 110K ? Passes Senate Judiciary committee

◾The annual H1B Visas cap for highly skilled workers will be increased from 65,000 per year to 110,000 per year.
◾The advanced degree H1B cap for STEM degree holders from US schools, will be increased from 20,000 to 25,000 visas.
◾There are provisions mentioned in the bill that the H1B cap could be potentially increased to 180,000 per year, if there is extreme demand for highly skilled workers that fiscal year.

The weasel word 'extreme' is a loophole that the IT companies will drive a MAc truck through and EVERY year will be an extreme year.

I remember when almost every IT guy I met was a Republican. Now, very few will have that parties name associated with them.

Who looks out for the interests of American workers any more? No one.

Encouraging more highly skilled workers to come (or stay) here legally? Sounds good to me. It's unskilled (or even anti-skilled) people coming here illegally that's the problem.

We don't need more highly skilled workers to come over and work visa our local talent to nonexistence. If there is an unemployment rate below 4% for that profession, then sure, bring in more. But higher than that, companies should be able to OJT near fits and train in-house to get what they need.

In the long run we screw ourselves over as a nation if we let businesses continue to hire cheap work visas instead if investing in US citizen skilled labor. We will get fewer engineers and the work visas go home and start competitive businesses that undercut ours.

 

[Unkotare]

I have faith in skilled Americans in a legal labor market competing with anyone. If someone has skills (often learned here) and the drive and ambition to come here - legally - lay out the welcome mat. We need to encourage such - LEGAL - immigration and discourage ILLEGAL immigration that results in somebody who can't write his own name in his own indigenous language sneaking in and using public assistance, making the ER his family PCP, raising the next generation of gang members, and one day taking a dump in a spinach field somewhere and creating a food poisoning crisis all across the country.

 

[Katzndogz]

The useful American workforce is aging. We are not producing a younger workforce and that will get worse. Lowered standards for education and the spread of legalized drugs will guarantee a non-performing American work force for many years to come. Even if an individual American isn't a drug addict and does have an education, the perception of the lazy, stupid, drugged out American is too powerful to overcome.

 

[Unkotare]

The useful American workforce is aging. We are not producing a younger workforce and that will get worse. .

Not if we encourage highly educated people with an appreciation for education, hard work, and a strong family structure to come here LEGALLY; maybe become citizens one day. Meanwhile, we can improve both our education and economy by reminding the referee that, while needed, he is not the star of the game.

Society, if left alone enough to do so, will reward positive cultural practices and discourage negative ones. If the government artificially reverses that natural order of things, of course it'll just end up making a mess.

 

[JimBowie1958]

I have faith in skilled Americans in a legal labor market competing with anyone. If someone has skills (often learned here) and the drive and ambition to come here - legally - lay out the welcome mat.

How are Americans who will work to support an American life style, raise kids in American schools and retire on an American economy, supposed to compete with people who c an work DIRT CHEAP but take it all back home to retire a wealthy man?

How does one do that?

We cant. You 'confidence' is a nanometer deep and razor thin. The opnly reason it exists at all is because you are not looking at the practical impact of lowering American wage scales like that so drastically.

 

[Unkotare]

I have faith in skilled Americans in a legal labor market competing with anyone. If someone has skills (often learned here) and the drive and ambition to come here - legally - lay out the welcome mat.

How are Americans who will work to support an American life style, raise kids in American schools and retire on an American economy, supposed to compete with people who c an work DIRT CHEAP but take it all back home to retire a wealthy man?

Companies hiring under the H1-B Visa are not allowed to pay "DIRT CHEAP" wages, so you can put that excuse to bed. Obviously a lot of these visa holders have families too, who live here and go to school here. These are people working and living (some, hopefully more, permanently as eventual citizens) in the American economy.

Stop being such a weakling. Americans can compete and succeed against anyone. Those who can hang with us and have valuable skills, training, experience, and positive cultural habits should be welcomed to join us.

You're afraid of your own weakness but not eager enough to become stronger.

 

[SteadyMercury]

I have faith in skilled Americans in a legal labor market competing with anyone.

Exactly. H1B is just an easy scapegoat for under performers or people who shouldn't be in the career field anyway. I'm in software development and have been hearing about the big foreigner invasion for over a decade, but bottom line is for most solid devs staying employed isn't a challenge.

Hell most of my career moves have been from being poached from one company to another, and that is one of the bigger challenges we have in our company is others stealing our talent.

 

[Toro]

Good news!

I came to America on an H.

My only bone of contention is that they should lower the fees.

 

[JimBowie1958]

I have faith in skilled Americans in a legal labor market competing with anyone.

Exactly. H1B is just an easy scapegoat for under performers or people who shouldn't be in the career field anyway. I'm in software development and have been hearing about the big foreigner invasion for over a decade, but bottom line is for most solid devs staying employed isn't a challenge.

Hell most of my career moves have been from being poached from one company to another, and that is one of the bigger challenges we have in our company is others stealing our talent.

Who the fuck are you to judge any damned body's talent?

You arrogant prick, wait till you are over 50 and see your job opportunities give nb to cheap labor serfs and then talk your fucking shit.

THE LAW SAYS THEY HAVE TO BE FOR AN INDUSTRY WHITH HIGH DEMAND AND THAT HAS ALREADY EXHAUSTED US TALENT.

So fuck your opinion, it is the law. And fuck you too, you stupid shit troll.