"Restricting H-1B Visas Is Bad"?

[SHRED]

Even during these economic hard times, even with record job loss, the corporate CONs are doing their best to make sure their cronies still have access to indentured and lower paid foriegn workers.

:mad:

May 13, 2009
Restricting H-1B Visas Is Bad for Business and the Economy
by James Sherk and Diem Nguyen
WebMemo #2440

Reports have indicated that Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) plan to introduce a bill that would limit the ability of companies to hire H-1B employees.<1> Arguing that H-1B visa recipients are a threat to American workers, their proposal would add new layers of regulation and procedures making it more difficult for companies to hire foreigners.

This argument is misguided. Given the current economic climate, handcuffing employers from hiring talented workers will hurt--not help--the economy, further delaying the ability of businesses to restart the national economic engine. In order to grow the American economy and support the American workforce, Congress should expand and improve the H-1B visa program

MORE:
http://www.heritage.org/Research/HomelandSecurity/wm2440.cfm

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[Larkspur]

1. If the Cons could reinstitute slavery they would

I was laid off last year and my duties were taken over by an H-1B contractor from India. I don't blame the individual contrator because he's a low man on the totem poll. I blame the corporate policy that willingly betrays American workers for cheap imported labor.

[sam sarrha]

2. they will have to invoke a few pennies of a Tariff to imports to make Education free for everyone

cause the "Masses" can not afford to get educated to fill those jobs..

our collages are collapsing.. and what will the F'n solution be..??? CHINESE STUDENTS..!!! I HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE
in 91 in a college in washington state suddenly about 15% of the collage turned Chinese.. they brought teachers too. they got free gov paid tuition, free housing, $17,000 stipend, free buss ticket we got all our financial aid cut. when we complained we were forced to take a 'Anti-Prejudice Seminar'.. damn, re-education, just like in China

[stray cat]

3. How many american students have advanced degrees in physical sciences

and are as competent as their foreign counterparts? Alot of American students prefer business degrees and avoid math and science like the plague.

[pinqy]

4. "indentured and lower paid???"

Indentured...sort of. If you want to quit you have to find someone else to sponsor your visa, which is counted as a second visa and you're only allowed a limited number of successive visas. Finding a visa sponsor is not easy. However, since the visas are temporary, the amount of time required to work for the employer is short enough not to be a major problem as far as I can tell.

Lower paid is not right, though....the law requires that foreign workers under the H-1B visa be paid at least the prevailing wage rate for their occupation in that area.

[SHRED]

5. regarding pay

H1-B workers rarely assert their rights.
These salaried workers are pressured heavily to work long hours and weekends...and they submit out of fear of losing sponsorship.

Thus the hourly pay average drops significantly.

[pinqy]

6. Well...

While that might be true (and I haven't seen it with the H1B workers I've known), that's really unconnected to the visa system...it's Civil Rights (or EO) violation of discrimination due to national origin. The law does protect against punitive action for reporting violation, but in practice, they would be reluctant to file...which means you don't have much support rather than anecdotal information which may or may not be accurate.

The impression you gave was that they were actually underpaid (hired at a lesser rate of pay), which is not true.