Return to Article: High-tech visa debate comes to Congress via 'blue cards'
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44699
Amazing if you look at the number of green card holders who are highly technical who have moved back to India and make there 1 day appearance in the States to maintain the card. The system is broken.
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40700
I agree that this reform in numbers is required and needs to be thought about very quickly. While there is a great need for skilled and efficient work force, it will also definitely fuel the economic growth by encouraging immigration. The basis of our country's dominance has been welcomimg and encouraging talent that breeds innovation. That is how we have been and will remain on top of the world.
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40460
Immediate steps to take:
1) Fix the broken Green card based immigration system, cut the annual quota to 20K so as to make it possible to do justice to the process of conducting background investigations, and auction them off to the qualified highest bidders.
2) Decrease the H-1B cap to 1,000 (the likely number of "best and brightest" given H-1Bs) and auction the off to the highest bidders.
3) Decrease the passport processing back-log so that 7th generation US citizens (such as those with American Revolution veteran ancestors) no longer have a 4 year wait.
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40347
What about all the H-1B fraud? The shell companies, the bogus resumes and degrees, the inflated skill sets, the Cohen and Griggsby expose? H-1B professionals? In some cases yes, but in many cases they are brought in at the lowest pay range to perform ordinary work. Far from being the 'best and brightest' they merely displace American breadwinners. How is that good for the economy?
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40344
It is absolute nonsense to think that America ever had a shortage of skilled workers. This was the plan of Greenspan et. Al. to keep wages down by flooding us with workers we never needed. We simply don't have enough high-silled, higher paying jobs for the native workforce as it is. All our guestworker visa programs are so rife with fraud and abuse that there should be a moritorium on them pending a full investigation (with civil and criminal penalties).
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39796
Re: ALIPAC, NumbersUSA, Programmers Guild, Zazona
All their allegations have been kiboshed by the following NFAP reports.
(1) H-1B Professionals and Wages: Setting the Record Straight, National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) Policy Brief, March 2006 (NFAPPolicyBriefH1BProfessionalsAndWages0306.pdf)
(2) Driving jobs and Innovation Offshore The impact of high-skill Immigration Restrictions on America, National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) Policy Brief, Dec 2007 (071206study.pdf)
The second report was the focus of attention in "Is The H-1B Visa Cap Capping U.S. Innovation?" By Marianne Kolbasuk McGee | Information Week, Dec 6, 2007. Their superstars (Rob Sanchez (Founder, Zazona), Betsy (ALIPAC), John Miano (Founder, Programmers Guild), Kim Berry (President, Programmers Guild) "stepped up to the plate" (Merry Christmas, Betsy!) at the attached blog.
They could not rebut a single statement in the report. Most responses were completely unrealetd nonsense: these responses didn't even come close to passing the giggle test (which is true at this site also). Instead, they resorted to cheap shots like "salary paid to Indian servant", "Indian caste sytem". Thus, there is no validity in ANY of their claims!
Less then 10 of their members represent them in blogs inspite of repeated emails asking members to blog. These members post with multiple handles giving the impression that many persons share their views. They do not represent H-1B issues honestly.
Based on the poor quality of their posts and porous lies, their skill level is a HUGE suspect: they are a COLOSSAL DISASTER crying sour grapes! At least, their skill level needs a THOROUGH investigation.
PG claims 1.5K members; based on their reputation, there is no reason to believe this is true. As per Rob Sanchez's post (which was removed recenyly), they had < 300 signatures in their letter against IEEE-USA's proposal. They DO NOT represent ALL American workers.
The H-1B debate should include opinion of a significant fraction of skilled American workers who debate honestly. They do not satisfy these requirements. The opinion of these outLIERS in an article is very misleading. Media, Please don't include their opinion in your articles. Thanks Heather for not including their LIES in this article!
If conditions FORCE media to cover them, please post their THOROUGHLY VERIFIED credentials AND URLs where their opinions have been kiboshed. The absence of this information gives the false impression that their opinion has ANY significance.
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39793
For 12 months at a time during each of the past four fiscal years, some new H-1Bs could not even enter the U.S. labor market because the annual quota had been reached before the start of the year. This means employers would have to wait more than a year just to hire an H-1B professional, something few would choose to do if they instead found a qualified U.S. professional available.
New H-1B professionals account for < .1% of U.S. labor force each year. Thus, new H-1B professionals account for < 1% of U.S. labor force, in 10 years year.
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39791
The unemployment rate in IT sector is a whopping 1.8%, compared to 4.7 percent nationally.
This is virtually full employment. Some unemployed are between jobs - the "frictional" unemployment that is difficult to reduce. Some are in wrong geographic area or have the wrong set of skills for the jobs the H-1B holders are filling. Some are seeking employment in another occupation, but counted as unemployed since it was their last job.
The remaining are unemployable who focus on spreading disinformation at all sites rather then developing their skills!
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39777
The reason the cheap labor argument persists as the mantra of critics is that without such an argument those favoring restrictions would have to concede that H-1B visa holders are being hired alongside Americans because the H-1Bs are highly qualified and sought after professionals. It?s clear that critics of H-1B visas are either against immigration in general or seek to limit competition in their chosen field. However, it crosses the line to argue that people not born in the United States have no value in the marketplace except if they work more cheaply than Americans (an unproven allegation). It is insulting to foreign nationals to imply they are not smart enough to seek a competitive wage for themselves, said one human resources executive at a large technology company. The individuals we hire often receive multiple job offers.9'
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39776
America's knowledge-based economy is increasingly dependent on the best and brightest immigrants, who account for a quarter of the nation's doctorates and a third of its engineering professors. Foreign-born entrepreneurs were among the founders of Sun Microsystems Inc., Intel Corp., Google Inc. and other leading firms. To educate the next generation of them in America, only to export them to foreign universities and corporations, is foolish in the extreme.
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39775
Programmers Guild & Lou Dobbs should be given due credit for exporting Microsoft research center to Vancouver, Canada. They should also get credit for driving many Wall Street firms to shore up their overseas technology opeartions at the cost of US operations. PG folks should understand that they can't maintain artificially inflated ($100K+) salaries compared to global standards. The investment managers value the Multi-National companies which optimize their cost base. And we all want Investment managers to maximize the return on our 401Ks. I will take my money out of any fund which does not focus on maximizing the return. In their pursuit of maintaining artificially inflated salaries, PG & Lou Dobb has hurted US citizens in non-IT sectors. Even in IT sector, when companies could not bridge the gap by bringing in people, they have moved out whole groups. PG and LD should get a free pass to any remaining communist country of the world.
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39747
So Elvis are you saying that you and Mr. Sanchez's and his goons personal interests are not behind all the verbiage spewed against immigrants and future immigrants? Before you dismiss the arguments are convoluted and nonsensical, can you refute them? If you call stating facts intellectual sophistry, I wonder what the misrepresentation of facts spouted by Dobbs, Sanchez etc. need to be called: intellectual idiocy?
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39741
Many of these foreign workers resort to incredible intellectual sophistry to rationalize what is actually just their intense desire to attain/keep an American job. The most convoluted and nonsensical arguments are advanced as to why it is a good thing for America to displace us with them. But their own personal desire is really all that is at the bottom of all this verbiage from them.
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39723
AccuracyIT!
"BILL GATES1 - personally attacking Rob Sanchez does nothing to promote any points you make. You've cheapened the debate here."
Look! Who has cheapened the debate here! It's your buddy Rob Sanchez that you are trying so hard to protect! He played game with a poster by the name of "Niloufer Bustani" by calling her names. "Buttsani is arguing semantics" and "Butt is right about one thing though".. Rob Sanchez has a right to critize her opinion but DOESNT have any right to play games with her name! I request you to really examine if Rob Sanchez truly deserves your support in this debate.
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39720
Rob Sanchez has made a preposturous claim that a non-PhD to be a better subject expert than a Harvard PhD, with an outlandish claim about PhDs getting brainwashed by the 'elite' ( Illuminati by any chance, Rob?)
As per his argument, a homeschooled person who never stepped into school, and never got brainwashed by education, must be the 'THE GURU' on all subject matters. Rob, were you homeschooled?
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39719
Response to Rob Sanchez's 1st comment :-
Rob, Why do you equate H1 B to cheap labor? Do you have any stats to prove that any company in this country is underpaying their h1 b staff? Do you know that to get an h1 B approved an employer must prove that the employee is paid the market average or more?
To get a green card for an employee, an employer needs to prove that 1) There is no American Qualified/available/willing to do that job 2) Company I spaying market wages for that job
Can you please justify your cheap labor comment? I have an IT company and besides American employees I get people on H1's, Green cards. I can tell you from my own experiences that USCIS does not approve any application unless it's convinced that the rules are met.
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39712
Rob Sanchez, by arguing that PhDs are brainwashed before getting one, you have proved yourself as a clueless conspiracy theorist on rampage. A real-life version version of Mel Gibsons character in the movie - you guessed it right - 'Conspiracy Theory'.
Hide Rob, Big Bad Government and the Free Masons society is got to get you !
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39690
WD Well Said! WD, don't waste your time educating people like Rob Sanchez and AccuracyIT, these people either lost or closed their senses and adaptability to complicated topics, hence they can't grasp anything completely, they know everything but just shallow knowledge, please don't ask them to go in "deep" and collect all info about GC/H1/BC and then compare these. I beg you please pardon their ignorance.
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39678
You seem to be in some kind of hate influenced group, who just doesnt want to read and understand, while insisting that we go to your pathetic website and become part of Hate group.
If you cant debate with what WD is suggesting, at least dont make a complete fool of yourself. Blue card is in fact very similar to H1-B. The only thing Blue card has different, is it doesnt come with biased propaganda. It guarantees the permanent stay in the country, instead of kicking the individual out after he/she has invested so much in the country over the years. I am an immigrant who now just became US citizen. I have my own business (not bought, my own creation) which employs 120 full time American employees. I am proud to say that I am American. But I am also ashamed at our government's biased ways towards skilled immigration. Its hight time they get their acts together. Or they will lose a lot of future job makers like me. You or your fathers were immigrants too. So I should now call you a very selfish and biased person, because you now dont want any immigration at all.
Time for a reality check my friend. Look hard and close in that mirror. Time to evaluate your priority.
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39656
I don't know what Rob Sanchez has proved or disproved, but has definitely proved that any idiot with a website and skewed statistics can influence public opinion. Just ask Lou Dobbs. He's got his own talk show.
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39654
Green card system in US is promoting modern slavery. There are no clear rules, so many ambiguities; all in favor of letting applicants leave US out of frustration on their own, or be here and suffer like hell. This system is also denying some of the constitution rights from applications. Some of the highlights are:
1) You can work, but don't take any promotion or salary hike.
2) You can work, but stick to the same employer for 5 to 10 years.
3) You can work, but your spouse must stay at home.
4) You can work, but make sure you are working for one employer only on full time basis.
5) You can work, but there will be times during which driving license and work permits are revoked, because of our slow processing of your applications.If you look at a big picture, it's obvious that H1B's are not taking away any jobs, in fact they are helping US to stay highly competitive.
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39651
"The H-1B is a dual intent visa that offers a path to permanent residency. Yeah, perhaps a few more forms have to be filed to get a green card than the proposed blue card. Boo!Hoo! " - Rob Sanchez , thanks for displaying your utter ignorance of immigration law & maybe betraying your bigotry in the process. A few more forms my behind
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39568
WD seems to think that until I have multiple PhDs I'm not qualified to speak out on subjects like H-1Bs. He has got it all wrong though - the fact I don't have a PhD makes me uniquely qualified! That's because by the time most people bet PhDs they are brainwashed by the ruling elite who run our universities.
WD issued some kind of ridiculous challenge that I prove my "worthiness as an expert in the subject?" I'm not sure what subject he is talking about, but he is welcome to visit my website, and especially the newsletter archive to find out that I am more than qualified to talk about various subjects.
JobDestruction(dot)info
replace (dot) with .
WD needs some basic reading comprehension skills, because it's obvious to anyone with a brain that blue cards are similar to H-1B visas, not green cards.
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39302
Their logical reasoning abilities are staring in your face in underpayment evidence response. Wisely, AccurcacyIT did not mention John Miano's H-1B underpayment allegation that was shredded by NFAP.
Their distortion abilities are on display in Microsoft underpaying H-1B allegation: it is widely reported that Microsoft H-1B salaries are above median and Microsoft has only 7% H-1Bs.
They plant the SAME distortions at EVERY blog. But planting is their congressional prerogative ONLY. They covertly plant rumors to obscure truth and influence public opinion on national policy. A sad reality of democracy allows liabilities to represent against assets.
They can reference H-1B as widgets from third world and post "H-1B Go Home" on blogs. However, presenting much milder facts about them "cheapens the debate".
John recommends going to school as a remedy. They have much bigger problems: ATTITUDE. They are going NOWHERE with this attitude.
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39274
Anti-business Commies like Rob Sanchez, (In)AccuracyIT are into their favorite pastime of baseless demogogy. Unsurprising as they belong to the bunch of people who are out-of-job in a full employment economy !
I challenge Rob Sanchez to prove his worthiness as an expert in the subject? Mr Sanchez what's your credentials besides running a fear-mongering newsletter? How many Masters, PhDs do you hold on the American Economics, Global Economics etc.? Are you a Harvard, Yale fellow? How many universities have granted you Doctorate for your so-called reseach? On what authority are you issuing denials on behalf of Europe and Europeans? (Are you a Europe expert?)
Rob, you might not like this, as truth always hurts. But you are a hack posing as a subject expert, on a subject where you are absolutely clueless. Demogogy is no substitute for subject expertise.
'Blue Cards' are not H1B equivalent, as H1B doesn't grant automatic permanent residency. Being on H1B doesn't grant any weightage/special privilege in applying for Green Card. GC applicant can be only any visa - J1, L1, F1, U, V, O1, even B1. He/she need not be even be living in US. Time spent on H1 is not counted while granting GC or citizenship. A person can be on H1 for full 10 years and still not get GC, unlike BC which grants it automatically in 5 years.
Are you guys illiterates who are unable to comprehend this simple matter ?! Makes me doubt your claims as 'Highly-Skilled' . What are your skills? Number fudging? Twisting facts? Demogogy? Bong hits?
Europe will collapse like a pack of card in the next two decades, if they don't grant 'Blue Cards'. They have abysmally low fertility rates, get married late in life, most have no kids, have very high divorce rates. For economies based heavily on entitlements ( 45% taxes , Government pensions, full unemployment benefits), their population is rapidly shrinking.
If EU countries don't increase their population through immigration,their economy will shrink below China and India in GDP ( have you guys heard about this term?). Europe will be so-called 'Thirld World'.
How do I know? I have lived in Europe for a year. Have you? So it's not a matter of IF Europe will give 'Blue Cards', it's a matter of WHEN.
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39241
Programmers Guild & Lou Dobbs should be given due credit for exporting Microsoft research center to Vancouver, Canada. They should also get credit for driving many Wall Street firms to shore up their overseas technology opeartions at the cost of US operations.
PG folks should understand that they can't maintain artificially inflated ($100K+) salaries compared to global standards. The investment managers value the Multi-National companies which optimize their cost base. And we all want Investment managers to maximize the return on our 401Ks. I will take my money out of any fund which does not focus on maximizing the return.
In their pursuit of maintaining artificially inflated salaries, PG & Lou Dobb has hurted US citizens in non-IT sectors. Even in IT sector, when companies could not bridge the gap by bringing in people, they have moved out whole groups.
PG and LD should get a free pass to any remaining communist country of the world.
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39181
The so-called "blue card" being used to browbeat Congress into raising caps on H-1B visas isn't even real. It's just a PROPOSAL in the EU that frankly stands little chance of passing. This whole episode just shows you how desperate the corporate shills are to import more cheap labor by dangling what should not be their's to offer: the opportunity to live and work in the United States. Any politician who falls for this red herring is either hopelessly corrupt or incompetent due to their proven inability to think independently.
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38991
How did you get your residency/citizenship? You are no rocket scientist! On the contrary you are a COLOSSAL FAILURE!
Did you inherit residency/citizenship (as privelege/courtesy) from your ancestors? Were your ancestors rocket scientists? Were Kim Berry/John Miano's (Programmers Guild) ancestors rocket scientists? Even if you say yes, it is hard to beleive that rocket scientists produce GARBAGE like you, Kim Berry and John Miano!
(1) Why do LOOSERS, who inherit residency/citizenship as PRIVELEGE/COURTESY, opine about persons who EARN residency? (2) Why collect LIABILITIES like you and send ASSETS to other countries?
A company will not consult YOU about it's hiring policy. Nor will they consult YOU before opening office in Canada or offshoring. YOUR opinion on policies involving competition is COMPLETE WASTE of bandwidth.
YOU are US citizen by birth, an accident. As a result, YOU can be involved in improving competitiveness amongst US citizens and support US citizens if they still can not compete.
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38988
In the Best interest of our country, no offense to you both but people like Rob Sanchez and AccuracyIT need to goto school to learn than hurting the economy which is getting worse by driving the talent away.
AccuracyIT, I know many people who get money from their country to do better here rather than sending, which is your main point.
Rob Sanchez, Legal talented immigrants are more concerned about the welfair and security of America than US born or people who committ crime, have you looked at who gets more DMV tickets, who goes more in the Jail?
Lou Dobbs won't give a penny to the suffering people from all the money his making by all those shows, he and the likes are exploiting the American who Trust.
Please think outside bun and this Christmas be positive to make our forfather immigrants proud of a nation made number one in the world by Talented Legal Immigrants. God Bless US
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38966
BILL GATES1 - personally attacking Rob Sanchez does nothing to promote any points you make. You've cheapened the debate here. Please refrain from personal attacks. Sadly, your remarks show you know very little about either Rob Sanchez or the destruction of middle class jobs in America.
Hiding you head in the sand won't protect you. Perhaps you are someone who personally gains by the use of H-1Bs, perhaps even a plant by Compete America.
As to what Bill Gates knows he knows this:
He can get H-1Bs for FAR less money than an American counterpart. He gets them young which is another reason to put them on the lower end of the pay scales.
Please treat people here like adults and refrain from spouting propaganda, the kind that comes from Compete America and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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38963
Underpayment Evidence - perhaps you find Alan Greenspan credible - I'd bet you do.
You should know that Greenspan went onto C-SPAN and admitted that America needs cheaper labor to bring down costs, and therefore should import H-1Bs.
Additionally, GAO has stated there is NO REQUUIREMENT that companies seek an American first before seeking an H-1B. This is fact.
BTW - H-1Bs are not used solely for cheap labor. They are used as docile, indentured servants. Indentured because they are stuck with their employer who has sponsored them. Since they are indentured they are extremely unlikely to complain about working hours and conditions. Coming from 3rd world countries they expect little in the way of life style. As such they are used as 'widgets' to replace older workers.
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38877
Google will be fine, even if Lou Dobbs is elected president and all of the company's innovation takes place overseas, but I worry about California's future if overly restrictive immigration policies become the long-term norm. And it isn't only the corporate icons that could be jeopardized but the state's vaunted research universities as well.
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38862
It is claimed that the H1B visa is primarily used as a source of cheap labor. However the sources of these studies are conducted and reported by special interest groups (like ALIPAC,Programmers Guild, Numbers USA, Zazona) that oppose H1B visa. No definitive governmental study, either by the GAO or the Congressional Research Service has proven these statistics to be true.
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38857
USA heading for Major Slow Down - Reality
What went wrong this Year ?
This X-MAS will be snow cold... Stores trying to sell but not enough buyers, some are planning close or move to different countries.
Don't be surprised by this. Its meant that way, the law of nature.
Major companies are researching outside USA
Housing Market is at the lowest and more low in next 4 months
Europe, India, China are the destinations.
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38856
Rob Sanchez have you been to a school?
Bill Gates knows all the talented Legal immigrants have graduated, most have MS and Real degrees.
Googling your name shows Job Destruction.
Please learn to be positive and educate yourself for the better of this country.
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38854
Buttsani is arguing semantics. The H-1B is a dual intent visa that offers a path to permanent residency. Yeah, perhaps a few more forms have to be filed to get a green card than the proposed blue card. Boo!Hoo!
The blue card is nothing but another version of the H-1B visa. Why deny the obvious facts?
Europeans are probably too smart to approve the blue card, so we are arguing over a theoretical visa at this time. I have a tough time believing that Germans and French would allow their governments to sell their high-tech workers down the toilet like we do here in America.
Give the Europeans credit. They are way too smart to allow blue cards.
Butt is right about one thing though -- if the blue card ever comes to reality and that causes foreigners in the U.S. to leave, nothing will make me happier. Once they go to Europe they will not be our problem anymore. Good riddance!
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38853
I wrote a more detailed analysis of the blue card issue which you can read by going to this link:
http://www.tiny.cc/BlueCard
I urge all writers at govexec to review the more detailed analysis so they will be less prone to being suckered by Compete Amerika propaganda.
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38851
Rob Sanchez , where did you copy and paste your comments from ? IF all you need is that all immigrants go away, why do you need to argue which card is better (blue or green) ?
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38844
Immidiate steps to take:
1) Fix the broken Green card based immigration system, clear all the backlogs within 1 year and ensure future applications are cleared in less than 6 months
2) Increase the H1 cap to 120,000 (the number of applications on day 1 last year)
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38841
"Superuser" poses the question: "How does bringing in foreign workers make dollar weak? America has nothing to export but Technology these days and guess who is creating the technology in multi-nationals?"
As jobs are lost in America the tax revenues collected are diminished by falling American salaries, which are caused by cheap foreign labor forcing Americans out of the work force. Pay rates are NOT keeping up with inflation and statistics bear this out. The U.S. government then borrows to sustain services (which few foreign nationals contribute to the upkeep of this nation) and the national debt grows. This in turn has caused a weakening of the U.S. dollar that manifests in rising oil prices, which then causes a giant ripple effect throughout America.
Since America manufacturers next to nothing these days technology jobs are vital to our economy, and to our national security to keep technology at home - where it belongs. "Superuser" evidently lacks any sense of social responsibility to the United States as he is likely not a citizen, unless of course, he is employed by a transnational company and benefits financially by the employment of cheap foreign labor. Again, he is devoid of social responsibility to the United States.
But I will also add my prior point which is that many foreign nationals send money home and this also cannot be denied. For every dollar sent out of the U.S. that's another dollar not spent in an economy driven by consumer spending, and so much so consumer spending accounts for 70% of the GDP. Sending money outside the U.S. weakens our economy and this is factual. Sending jobs offshore OR by replacing them here in America with cheap foreign labor causes loss of middle class jobs.
How can America count on safe and private data when it's stored offshore in a 3rd world country that feels no responsibility to OUR citizens, since they are not THEIR fellow citizens? How can our country possibly trust citizens of other countries to work on our defense systems? Hasn't our security already been compromised by Chinese nationals?
And to those that don't take America's security seriously let me remind you that it was New York city, and Washington DC, and Pennsylvania that were attacked on September 11, 2001, and not India, or China, or Poland, or Vietnam.
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38839
Dollar value going down is good for American economy. American goods will become cheaper. More tourists will visit US and spend the money here. Many of the outsourced blue-collar and white-collar jobs may actually move back to the US !
If immigrants are the reason Dollar value is going down, and American businesses are selling more goods & making more money - may be US should attract more highly-skilled immigrants !
But, of course, Economics and common sense have never been strong points of the "costly labor" nativists from the "first world" !
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38837
Niloufer Bustani is commenting from his vantage point of personal interest. He has no stake in the health and welfare of the United States and wants access to this country for employment, without regard for Americans being displaced, and in doing so, will remain in denial that any such condition exists. This is part of one's personal gain at the expense of others. Since he is likely not an American he sees nothing wrong with an American being laid off so he may work in America. This is NOT the mandate of our nation and this goes directly to the issue no one wants to talk about: social responsibility.
Sadly, the world is filled with people who believe it's their birthright to have access to the U.S. for employment. Those believing that have no idea HOW this nation got it's start.
For every foreign national reaching the shores of America on a non-immigrant/temporary work visa there's another American being laid off to make room. This is the law of the universe as it applies to cheap labor, which is the whole point of H-1B visas. Alan Greenspan himself pointed out that America's labor can and SHOULD BE cheapened by H-1B visa holders. The man in now on record having said that so that cannot be denied.
Many foreign nationals send money home and this also cannot be denied. For every dollar sent out of the U.S. that's another dollar not spent in an economy driven by consumer spending, and so much so consumer spending accounts for 70% of the GDP. Sending money outside the U.S. hurts our economy and this is factual. Sending jobs offshore OR by replacing them here in America with cheap foreign labor causes loss of middle class jobs.
It's sad to see people, who put their personal interests above the best interests of the United States, try to claim that H-1Bs don't hurt our economy. If they believe that it's a disturbing lack of awareness amongst people who perceive themselves as highly educated and knowledgeable, even superior. These are not the kind of people we want in our country. Our country.
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38827
FACTS: WHY BLUE CARD IS MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN GREEN CARD
BLUE CARD - Renew every 2 years, AUTOMATIC PERMANENT RESIDENCY AFTER 5 YEARS, NO ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS NEEDED! - It is NOT limited to an employer. - Employee has full portability between employers and EU member countries. -Dependents of BC holders are allowed to work.
GREEN CARD - 3 stages to green card and at least 6 different applications -Employee cannot change jobs. -Employee cannot be promoted. -Waiting period is not equal for all. The green card process can take 6 - 12 years! -Dependents cannot work. -There are restrictions on travel outside US
Rob Sanchez should be happy that a lot of highly skilled immigrants will no longer choose the US as their preferred destination.
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38824
How does bringing in foreign workers make dollar weak? America has nothing to export but Technology these days and guess who is creating the technology in multi-nationals?
Case in point: winners of this Nobel price were children of immigrants - Pepsi, Google and Coke all had immigrants who became CEOs.
Improving exports and allowing legal immigration will help the dollar and keep prices low.
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38818
Please read about the Blue Card (use Google) before posting BS ! If US needs foreign workers it's due to "highly skilled" nativists like Rob Sanches of Zazona, who are yet to learn how to use Google ! (poor things)
Blue Card is NOT limited to an employer. BC employee has full portability between employers and EU member countries. Dependents of BC holders are allowed to work. Though BC is given for 2 years, after 5 years BC holder AUTOMATICALLY becomes a 'Permanent Resident' without submitting any additional application.
In contrast US laws have 3 stages (just for PR) and at least 6 different applications. Employee cannot change jobs. Dependents cannot work.
For obvious reasons, highly-skilled employment-based immigrants are finding BCs more attractive than GCs.
Rob Sanches should actually be happy as many immigrants will be leaving US soon, instead of whining here like a brat
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38810
The previous comment is right on target. Compete America engages in propaganda and outright lies to make their case for cheap labor.
All over the country Americans are out of work due to cheap labor brought into the U.S. on H-1B visas. The goal is to get rid of older Americans regardless of the personal affect for them AND the effect on our economy.
America CANNOT withstand the steady drip, drip, drip of job loss in America. Those of us put out of work by the cheap labor lobby are victims of a restraint of trade. We are not hired because we are in are 40s and 50s, and the reason is NOT due to our abilities WHICH SURELY EXCEED YOUNGER WORKERS, but because of the paychecks we expect and are worthy of.
All this job loss has a negative impact on society which is described in Alan Tonelson's book "RACE TO THE BOTTOM". Lou Dobbs also talks about job loss on the impact on America in his book "EXPORTING AMERICA".
It's time for Americans to vote out of office any elected official who refuses to understand and acknowledge the loss of jobs in America and the devastating affects that accompany that.
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38786
We have enough high tech workers in our own country that need work we don't need to import any. The employers don't want to pay for American Workers and provide them benefits is why they want to bring them in on temp visas. That's why our dollar isn't worth crap anymore!
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38772
For some reason the "blue card" is being compared with the "green card", which some say is actually pink in color. Actually blue cards have much more in common with the H-1B visa. Like the H-1B visa, the blue card would be a temporary visa that would be used primarily for high-tech workers, and because the employer owns the visa, the worker is indentured. Blue card would be given visas for 2 years, as opposed to 3 for H-1Bs, and both of them go out of status if the foreign worker loses their job.
I suspect that the motivation for equating "blue cards" to "green cards" has less to do with facts and more to do with clever PR marketing by cheap labor lobbyists such as Compete America. They know all too well that H-1B comes with some heavy baggage and negative connotations, whereas green cards are adored by all the media darlings, corporate pundits, and money hungry politicians.
Compete America's argument assumes that there is a vast pool of geniuses like rocket scientists that will move anywhere in the world to earn a few more euros or rupees, and it also assumes that the U.S. doesn't have enough smart and educated people that want jobs. Both are myths but that doesn't stop Compete America from using the blue card in a shrill argument in favor of importing more cheap human capital into the U.S. Here is the reality check -- the few foreign geniuses there are for hire aren't going to need a blue card, green card, or an H-1B visa to enter their country of choice. Red carpets look the same everywhere and all nations have provisions for allowing them to immigrate. In the U.S. we have two visas for that purpose and they aren't difficult to get for those that deserve them - they are "O" visas and EB-1 green cards.
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(1) During 2006, nearly 1.3 million people were granted lawful permanent resident status.
There were 1,266,264 immigrants who were granted legal residence in 2006. Of those, 447,016 (35.3 percent) were new arrivals who entered the country in 2006, and 819,248 (64.7 percent) were status adjusters. The status adjusters arrived in the United States in any year before 2006, but their applications were approved during 2006.
(2) Employment-preference immigrants accounted for nearly 13 percent of all lawful permanent immigration in 2006. The 159,081 immigrants who received green cards through sponsorship from their US employers accounted for 12.6 percent of all LPRs.
The share of employment-preference immigrants is significantly smaller than that of family-based immigrants and has varied between 3.3 percent (59,525) in 1991 and 22 percent (246,878) in 2005 (see Figure 2).
However, 87,702 (or 55.1 percent) of the employment-sponsored immigrants in 2006 were spouses and children of principal applicants.
-- From Spotlight on Legal Immigration to the United States By Gretchen Reinemeyer and Jeanne Batalova | Migration Policy Institute, November 2007
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