US think tank wants H1B cap raised to 195,000

[ChromeFoundry]

Source: Economic Times India

8 Apr 2009, 1013 hrs IST, IANS

WASHINGTON: Debunking the myth that H-1B visas steal American jobs, a US think tank has asked the Congress to instead raise the cap on them to promote economic growth and generate much needed tax revenue.

Congress must raise the cap on H-1B visas coveted by Indian techies back to 195,000 visas per year - the maximum allowed as recently as 2001 - from the current 65,000, The Heritage Foundation analysts Jena Baker McNeill and Diem Nguyen said Tuesday.

"Raising the cap for H-1B visas will not steal American jobs but will help promote economic growth and generate much needed tax revenue," they said, calling the notion a "popular myth".

"There is a popular myth that H-1B workers displace Americans because foreigners will work for less than Americans even if they have greater qualifications."

This notion is so widespread that Congress recently passed an amendment barring companies receiving bailout money from hiring H-1B employees "but this notion is entirely false", McNeill and Diem said.


Read more: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/US-think-tank-wants-H1B-cap-raised-to-195000/articleshow/4373078.cms

---

:wtf:

[Mari333]

1. the fucking HERITAGE FOUNDATION

strikes again.assholes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritage_Foundation

The Heritage Foundation is an American conservative-leaning think tank based in Washington, D.C.

The foundation took a leading role in the conservative movement during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, whose policies drew significantly from Heritage's policy study Mandate for Leadership.<1> Heritage has since continued to have a significant influence in U.S. public policy making, and is widely considered to be one of the most influential research organizations in the United States, especially during the Republican administration of President George W. Bush.<2>

http://www.heritage.org/

[OhioChick]

4. I figured they were a conservative think tank....

Fuckers.

Thanks for the links.

[ihavenobias]

11. As Cenk would say...

Of Coooourse!

:)

[pattmarty]

22. For ur info, here's a couple more of these POS's: AEI...................

...........the American Enterprise Institute, Manhattan institute, Cato institute. That's all I can think of right off, but there's hundreds of them. I don't know how many "liberal" tanks there are, but probably as many as 10 or (God help us) maybe 20.

[sandnsea]

2. 13 million unemployed

I think there has to be 200,000 of them to fill these jobs or be trained to fill these jobs.

[OhioChick]

3. WTF is right!

Quote: "There is a popular myth that H-1B workers displace Americans because foreigners will work for less than Americans even if they have greater qualifications."

Myth, my ass. Straight from an Indian news source:


H-1B visa holders are paid less than US counterparts

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=cda81c51-7247-4c2a-8e36-2414c5f9686c

[Mari333]

5. GOP to american workers..piss off nt

[tomm2thumbs]

6. Uh, that makes entire sense to me - if you are trying to ruin our country entirely

We are going to have some skilled engineers and design personnel, etc. returning home from Iraq and I think they need to consider those jobs for folks here in the US and those who defended our country ahead of folks who are from outside the borders currently.

[OhioChick]

7. I agree.....plus our men/women are coming home to these stats:

Tech Layoffs Surge to 300,000

Tuesday, February 17, 2009; 3:56 AM


Layoffs in the tech sector are accelerating. It took exactly three weeks for tech layoffs to surge to 300,000, according to our Layoff Tracker. Since late January, when the tracker hit 200,000 layoffs, another 100,000 job eliminations have been announced or completed. In contrast, it took five weeks for layoffs in the tech industry to hit the 200,000 mark, and four months for layoffs to hit 100,000 last December. The total number of layoffs since we began tracking since the financial crisis began in late August is 300,093.

The past few weeks have particularly brutal for the technology space, with substantial layoffs announced by Pioneer (10,000), Cisco (3,000), Panasonic (15,000), NEC (20,000), Electronic Arts (1100) and AOL (700). Even Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, who both managed to avoid layoffs in the past few months, were forced to make cuts to their workforces. And Google, who was immune to layoffs until late January, continued giving pink-slips in the past three weeks with the company's exit from radio. Sadly, a few start-ups weren't able to weather the storm, with eBaum's World cutting all of its workforce.

Obviously the tech industry is not immune to the current economic climate, and if the past three weeks are any indication, things could still get worse for the tech space before they get better. Maybe that economic stimulus plan will help turn the tide.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/17/AR2009021700921.html

[Deja Q]

18. If they wanted to ruin it entirely, they needn't take so many decades to do it.

It's just greed. Unfettered, currently fully supported greed.

Ethics and fairness.

:shrug:

[Mudoria]

8. I don't have a problem with them hiring H1-B's if..

they can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that there isn't an American qualified to fill the positions. I have a hard time imagining that they will be able to prove that though. More pseudo shit from the The Heritage folks, color me not surprised....

[2Design]

17. companies can prove by having the job specs written by those h1bs

This is how companies get government contracts = companies like ibm would help write the bids so the only machines that would meet the specs were ibm - it becomes a game - the best way to end this game is to not allow it - tell them to help educate americans for these jobs instead - we are not dumber than other counties except in allow the corporations to turn us into peasants. I have no faith that these other educated people are smarter - I have meet some and talked to a bunch on the phone for service to know it is not true - how many tech calls have you had to hang up on because they had no idea what they were talking about -

take microsoft laying off all the americans and pushing for h1bs - sorry it is a lie and this think tank story is a bogus plant by the cheap a** conservative idiots

[ardvark]

19. that's exactly right, I once had an H-1b tell me his specs for his job

included experience that had NOTHING to do with where we were, but it included experience he had back in India

when he told me this, it didnt occur to him that the law was made to supposedly protect ME

[Deja Q]

20. Agreed.

Canada and other countries work the way you described; their own first.

Will America be remembered by everyone else we've given money and jobs to?

Is there an underlying plan that will genuinely level the playing field?

Or is it just unfettered, deregulated greed?

[notesdev]

31. Welcome to reality

Lawyers teaching other lawyers how to evade regulatory requirements for H1-Bs.

"Our goal is clearly NOT to find a qualified and interested U.S. worker."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCbFEgFajGU

[ardvark]

9. I'm actually glad to see this in what may be a depression

a depression that was caused in part by cheap labor policies in the first place

because it finally gets the point through even the thickest of skulls, that h-1b is about crushing American workers

no ifs, ands or buts

anyone who supports it is anti-American worker, period

no exceptions

[undeterred]

10. The "myth" is popular because its the truth.

This is going to cause a tremendous backlash against Indian people.

[ardvark]

13. anythime i see 'debunking myths'

it's usually biased bullsh-t

[smitra]

16. The 'debunking of the myth' is based on this one argument in their report...

Available at: http://www.heritage.org/Research/Immigration/wm2384.cfm

"...But this notion is entirely false. H-1B visas are provided to foreign workers only if employers prove that they are paying prevailing wages (equivalent to American wages for that occupation). In addition, employers must show that no American workers with the appropriate qualifications were available. ..."

Can they be totally BLIND to the tons of information released over the last year or so that this requirement is not enforced, and can easily be skirted around? I seem to recall a video that somebody had showing a bunch of lawyers demonstrating how you can get around these rules. That video should be enough to blow this 'debunking' to pieces.

Isn't it ironic that the report is entitled: "HELP the Economy and Federal Deficit by Raising H-1B Caps" (Capitalization mine).

[undeterred]

30. I know lots of people involved in hiring technical workers

and they all know its a scam.

[musette_sf]

12. 195,000 jobs that should be for AMERICANS

"there is a popular myth"

yeah, i've got a popular myth - that NO ONE in the US could possibly fill these jobs.

H-1B MUST END. American Jobs For American Workers.

[ardvark]

14. Hard to recruit for the military with full employment

that's why we 'need' foreign workers to steal our jobs

so people are desparate enough to risk fighting and dieing in a cause they dont fully understand

while someone from a foreign land takes their place (withough any citizen responsibility) in their workplace and community, fully enjoying the rights that the soldier supposedly fights for

[2Design]

15. think tank and conservative are an oxymoron n/t

[ardvark]

21. 'think tank' euphamism for 'propaganda mill' - nt

[redqueen]

23. *Conservative* think-tank.

They've been spewing out equally-stupid BS for ages. Nothing new about that.

[Qutzupalotl]

24. Sounds like that think tank is a quart low.

[The Backlash Cometh]

25. Why are these people allowed to make sweeping generalizations

without backing it up with fact?

[slay]

26. Calling the Heritage Foundation a think tank is like calling my toilet a swimming pool

Neither are true and both are full of shit.

[OhioChick]

27. Good analogy....

:rofl:

[slay]

28. Heh.. you said anal

Sorry - think it's the "toilet" humor from my previous remark rubbing off. Also - hilarious on your profile how you call yourself OhioChick but have your gender listed as "undeclared"! Nice. :rofl:

[OhioChick]

29. I thought the same as I began writing "analogy"....LOL

Hell, if someone can't figure out I'm a "chick".....:rofl:

[Hawkowl]

33. Outstanding!

LOL. All I could think of was storming the Heritage foundation with pitchforks. Your analogy is much better! Ridicule with the truth!

[sarcasmo]

32. Out of touch with Reality. Millions unemployed here and raising the cap.

Who is getting the kick back from India, it's all about someone getting money some where.