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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.
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."