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Issa Bill Would Kill A Big H-1B Loophole (computerworld.com)
ErichTheRed writes: This isn't perfect, but it is the first attempt I've seen at removing the "body shop" loophole in the H-1B visa system. A bill has been introduced in Congress that would raise the minimum wage for an H-1B holder from $60K to $100K, and place limits on the body shop companies that employ mostly H-1B holders in a pass-through arrangement. Whether it's enough to stop the direct replacement of workers, or whether it will just accelerate offshoring, remains to be seen. But, I think removing the most blatant and most abused loopholes in the rules is a good start. "The high-skilled visa program is critical to ensuring American companies can attract and retain the world's best talent," said Issa in a statement. "Unfortunately, in recent years, this important program has become abused and exploited as a loophole for companies to replace American workers with cheaper labor from overseas."
Most americans were actually against removing the trade barriers that allowed labor market shopping of the kind you imply. The agreements were railroaded through anyway.
Most Americans would actually support reintroduction of tariff and excise costs on foriegn goods and services, even though this will increase domestic product cost.
Your example is a perfect example for unintended consequences of each and every government's decision.
I can give one more example. There may be some bona-fide less desirable locations with low wages, that do have difficulty attracting qualified personel. This will be a burden for some organization in the midland of America trying to hire a skilled worker.
That being said, every law will have consequences, the outcomes that the politicians would not want to think about it. Here are the few: the limit of $100K does not appear to be indexed to inflation. Which means that in a decade the new limit of $100K will become what is now $50K.
As others already mentioned, some jobs a highly telecommutable. IT, accounting, calling centers are frequent examples, but there are many more. Because of never ending increases in taxes (local property taxes), workers demand 2-3% annual raise, annually compounding corporate costs. Basically, because of the increasing taxation and now mandatory health tax increase (wait for 2017 enrollment period), more companies will be looking for ways to cut the costs and will outsource the jobs.
Even president Trump with his promises will not be quick to help.
Finally, US will become less desirable destination to study. Which is a good thing, of course, because it will help to prick current US study cost bubble, as less foreigners (paying full price) will come to study to the USA.
All in all, increase is probably a good thing. However the blowback will be very different from what people expect.
Do-nothing Darrell Issa is NOW concerned about H1B abuse, because people in his district (a high-tech hotbed North of San Diego) have been having their jobs overtaken by imported, lower-cost workers...conveniently, just before his performance is questioned by challengers for his Seat in the House of Representatives.
He could've done this anytime in the past two (or four) years, but, no-o-o. He waits until he can make it a CAMPAIGN ISSUE to help his faltering reputation. His Democratic challenger is now approaching parity in polling, so, pull out the project he SHOULD have been working on for the past several years in office. But, schemer that he is, he's held it in reserve until it could save his butt...and he hopes you forget about all the butts of working who've lost their jobs because of his passive attitude toward constituents in prior years!
I am doing piecemeal work when I can in the IT field despite having been employed many years in it. I also drive for Uber and I drive many of the H-1B visa workers who are usually Indians home at night. They basically have indentured servants who will work any amount of time and they do not even want to look at an American. When we have carnivorous companies that basically want indentured servants to support the Fortune 500 company where one particular CEO made 500 million last year we have a corrupt government aiding and abetting it all the way
It sounds like you don't have relevant skill sets anymore
I am not a web gui jokey, if that's what you mean. I can hold my own in C, C++, I can do ok enough in python, and probably get by as well as others in the languages they don't use regularly.
I am pretty in touch with computing in most areas. and I don't even insist on specialist jobs. there are a ton of 'can you write C code?' jobs and I'm be ok doing that. they won't give it to me; I'm too qualified, then. even when I beg for the job, I'm too overqualified and they won't give it to me.
there has been writing and teaching in my background and I'm happy enough to do that. nope, once you write C code, they won't take you as a tech writer. I'm happy to do it! I enjoy it. but the stigma stops them from taking me on. I'm not making this stuff up, either.
I can design hardware, do board bring-up, order parts and eval things. write the firmware, do the networking, solder the parts, document it, write the host based back ends. ensure the whole system works. take it to trade shows and demo it. write the docs for it, do the RMA service. in other words, I can do a whole company's worth of jobs and in some ways I act as a whole hardware/software company of size 1. I can do most anything.
and yet, here I am. unemployed and finding it very hard to break thru that 'but you are an older expensive american' boundary. its a killer, even if you're highly skilled and capable.
I will confess, I'm over 50 and that's a major 'problem' right there for silicon valley employers. they mostly don't hire us anymore and if they do, its always as contract and never fulltime. they're afraid to touch us, in effect. (when you let go a person over a certain age, they have to document a lot more and show that it wasn't due to age. other things come into play when you take on an older guy, and I realize this crap is going on, but its still a show-stopper in your goal of getting employed).
I also know that its common to say 'you are not keeping up' but that's a BS line. I am keeping up. that's not the issue and it never was.
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"It is now safe to switch off your computer."