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S. 1092, The High-Tech Worker Relief Act of 2007
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Visitor Comments
thomas
Dont let american business die because of lack of highly skilled employees. This bill has to be passed urgently.
Harpreet Singh
It will do everybody a favour if the bill is passed... best of luck to everybody and may the sense prevails!!
Roger
This is a classic bill that will save thousands and thousands of business here in USA
The bill addresses the very fundamendal of this Greatest Nation is built upon
Let us congragulate Senator Hagel for stepping up to this issue and keeping America's dream alive
We should and must support senator for successfully passing this bill to law
MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA AND THE POLICY MAKERS!!!
hihfihi
I really hope this bill is passed just keeping my fingers crossed.
JH
Due to the special situation this year, this bill should be passed ASAP to guarantee that USA keep its competitiveness in science and technology.
asun
This bill definitely save the USA from the back to the times!
George
Deal with the Leagal immigrants first!
Raj
This bill will provide immediate relief to starving business community and dying high skilled legal immigrants.
This should pass immediately
legal_worker
American bussiness and legal immigrants are suffering due to the visa policy and shortage of visas. It is unfortunate in this country is that legal immigrants has to wait till the congress takes decision on undocumented workers. This bill has to pass immediatly to address the severe shortage of immigrant and H1B visas.
RR
This bill will be a great relief to High Skilled Employers/Employees. Please do pass this bill
Whatever!
To the politicians,
If you can approve this bill, pls do that. If you can't approve it, hack it.
DON'T CREATE NOISE AROUND TRYING TO SHOW YOU R DOING SOMETHING!
Prasad
I am all for it.
Anuj
This is a high time when immigration reform is considred beyond political agenda. Some very bright people are stuck and not able to contribute their 100%. It will be mutual benficial to make changes in legal immigration.
Nitin
This is NOT a pro illegal immigration bill. This is a bill to alleviate the problems being encountered by legal immigrants. I urge the politicians to not make an issue out of this and set an example that legal immigrants are valued in this country.
mike
This bill will bring an excess of foreign worker to the US. Please congress, we do not need more of those.
Sam
This bill need to pass....America need US educated urgently and for USA itself...not for Canada, France, Australia or UK.
madhu
Iam for it
dsa
this bill should pass,legal immigratants are paying high taxes and the economy depends onthem because they are high tech,scientists and doctors.
John
What we really want? half million high skill legal immigrant, who are contributing to competitiveness to the USA or 12 million illegal, who are burden to this society?
I appeal all my fellow citizen to support bill of 0.5 million legal skilled immigrant, separate legal bill from illegal amnesty. Passing this small bill (S 1092)will automatically weaken the illegal amnesty bill. If we oppose this bill (S 1092), high tech business community will push illegal amnesty bill and probably they will make it.
Give piecemeal and kill all other illegal immigration bill. Use some sense.
I support S 1092
pappu
This bill has been long awaited and will help solve the immigration problems in the country. Both legal and illegal. From the legal standpoint, the employment-based green card process is badly broken. It imposes great costs on industry and subjects the best and brightest of the world to unconscionable delays and career stagnation. Organizations like http://www.immigrationvoice.org are working hard to represent high skilled immigrants in DC
Kumar
This Bill being passed is highly essential for the US economy. So there is no other alternative.
ttom
This is an extremely important bill for USA to provide skilled labor, especially in a scenario of increasing retired people-to-working people ratio. This is necessary for retaining the tech. advantage that US has.
Those who claim that US jobs are lost to immigrants should look at and understand US' low unemployment rate for a long long time now.
prashant
Legal immirants are need of this country. We should not neglect them.
Rajeev
The bill must be passed. We are talking about human angles to make 11 million illegal to legal. We should also see "Human" angle for high tech skilled people being exploited day and nights and harrased just because they are not given green card.
GotGC??
This bill should be passed to help solve the immigration backlog, especially for the Employment-based Greedcard seekers.
Organizations like http://www.immigrationvoice.org are working hard to represent high skilled immigrants in DC
Nair
Keep the skilled immigrant here in US, before anybody else take them, because we need them for our success.
M
It makes absolutely no sense to educate foreign workers here in the US with MS and PhD degrees and make long term immigration so troublesome that they are forced to seek employment elsewhere. Passing this bill would ensure legal US-educated advanced degree holders will get some relief from the mess that is the current green card system
Logic
Please increase the employment based visa numbers.
Mathematician
America businesses are facing serious challenges from Japan and other countries. We need those highly skilled immigrants. Please pass this bill!
student_wait
Please pass this bill.It is badly needed and we have been waiting for a long time
Deb
Please spare us from this never ending wait for the Grenn Card
Mahesh
It is beneficial to everyone.
UnEmployment rate is lowest in recent times. Allowing exemption to advanced degree holders helps the GC retrogression and also helps the US universities. Makes sense to help who are legal and following process.
raiha
Please pass this bill.It'll be good for those who are waiting to start their career.
GKA
It has to be done for the business
to sustain and flourish.
Abraham
This may be a short term solution to prevent reverse brain drain.
Long term solution is emphasis on Science, Math & Technology education at all levels
David
It makes no sense to train the world's best & brightest and then not offer them opportunities to contribute to the vitality of the US market. Given the shortage of high-end talent in high tech, we desperately need this bill now, as well as a fix for the long term!
c0der
This just allows businesses to hire cheaper tech people while denying those jobs to Americans.
Legal Resident
Another cheap foreign labor for businesses who want to bring the cheap labor over to the United States. Vote this done, we need the jobs for ourselves. For all of you out there, why aren't your own countries creating jobs for you ?
Julia
Legal Resident - do you even know what are you talking about? Ignorance is your problem. Highly educated people want to work for your country, contribute their knowledge, experience. With the comments like this, US are loosing brains, which would only make this country better. Don’t forget that America is the country of immigrants and you/your family were one of them.
Steve
Congress should pass this Bill, in order to sustain America's leadership in the high tech industry. The bill should be hard on illegal immigrants. Should also verify questionable Indians who are just making h1b as a means to go to the US. Many indian outsourcing companies are just hiring their fellow Indians to migrate to the US without any skills at all. So this Bill whould have strict rules on Indian outsourcing companies and Indians who are just manipulating the H1b visas to get to the US.
chuck l
Totally disagree...Jobs are not shifted overseas due to the 'shortage' of capable employees in the US.
apply
We need it.
American company need it!
Lee
This Bill being passed is highly essential for the US economy. It is beneficial to everyone.
So there is no other alternative.
must
America have to pass this bill !!!
Michale
It should be arranged more than aditional 65,000 H1B Quota to applicants for conclusion within June.
Kim
We and me need it.
It help to US.
Right now
Pass it, PLEASE!
Pass it, PLEASE!
Pass it, PLEASE!
Jin
I want H1-B VISA policy predictable. Most applicants have prepared this opportunity for a long time. So this bill must be passed ASAP.
c0der
Most Americans have prepared for their careers a long time as well.
Peter
Pass it. I vote for a montion.
Hariya
Having dependents not counted towards the per country limit will greatly ease the tightening situation with priority dates retrogressing. This is a good stop gap solution.
It will allow families who have been here for many years and have integrated inot the society here a much needed relief and joy at being residents and have freedoms to work and live here as law abiding residents
chris choi
Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! increase the employment based visa numbers.
HA
Please pass this bill. Masters degree holders from USA are highly skilled and trained professionals that can contribute big time for american businesses!
min
pleas....pass it....
Rohini
Please pass this bill, it will do good for everyone!!
My Dream
I,We am(are) ready to work for The US's bright future. Please don't disappoint me and disappoint your citizen's future.
vs
please pass this bill and welcome hardworking, dedicated and honest legal immigrants into this great country of opportunity
JW
Everyone should get an equal opportunity. Especially those who
are the high tech skilled workers!!! They will definitely
bring up the economy of US!
sridhar
please pass it
santy
this will help US companies to remain in compete with European IT companies, else skilled resource will follow towards Europe and US companies will face a resouce problem. Kindly note if any foreign skill person is working in US then it also creates few more opporturnities for americans too. Infact the outsourcing should be stopped.
sunny
I strongly support this bill and it need to passed immediately
LSGmble
Looks like another "Crush the American worker bill" to me. A bad bill that will hurt American families. I work in high tech, we have plenty of skilled workers. The company uses contract workers - 2 years and they're out. They don't have to give raises, Just hire a new batch for less. If you want to see your pay go down, support this bill.
http://nikitab.newsvine.com
Does anybody have any stats/models on what will be the consequences of this bill will be?
hi
Pass it!! We need it.
need
Totally, I agree...
American company need it!
please
AMERICA REALLY NEED IT
PASS IT!!!
Plato
The CEO compensation of high tech companies are through the roof. Do they really need any more help at the expense of the workers? The companies are not only not suffering from the current environment concerning the IT workforce, they are making a killing! This bill is morally wrong, hurts the existing IT work force by depressing wages and should not pass.
Reply to Plato
If we restrict Hightech companies hiring best and brightest, they will outsource the work to other country and many US citizens will loose job.
Senthil Kumar
It's absolutely dumb that it has to come to this. The US should be doing ALL IT CAN to attract these highly skilled immigrants.
I have personally witnessed the economies of the UK, Australia and New Zealand benefit greatly by having no quota limits for high tech workers.
Bill
If we don't have sufficient skilled people in our country then the work will be taken to where sufficient skilled workers are available. So we have to be smart about what we are ought to save here
Deep
Please pass this bill! Imagine inspite of having great experience you dont get to work just because you mearly were not picked by a computer random lottery system. how can someone justify this? if this bill does not get passed America would loose a lot of skilled workers.
bascombe
this is a crock! the highly skilled americans have been targeted for downsizing for 30 years and this bill is just to keep filling thier jobs withe cheaper foreign labor. At my job, they lay of americans and hire foreign nationals.
I can see why hagel supportd this bill he's against anything that would benefit actual american citizens. Check his voting record.
Al
The bill is crucial for the Growing American Industery
BS
Americaa needs the Best of the Brains to keep it competitiveness. Other Countries are easing the laws to attract the Hi-Tech Talent. Act Fast.. Else, Americaa will no longer be the BEST INDUSTRALISED nation in the whol world. The distinction between the Legal and Illgeal immigrants should be clear. This is a country of IMMIGRANTS, may the BEST of the World continue to walk into US. Ease the GC and dependent employement rules. A better person at Personnel end will be able to give his/her best at Career. Act fast and PASS the BILL>>>
A
I strongly support this bill and I thik it needs to be passed.
klj
Really hope this bill is passed as it will be a great relief to High Skilled Employers/Employees.
Amritha
I very strongly support this bill..
Prakash
I support this bill.
true_desi
Stop begging. Work hard. Or let's go back to our respective countries. USA didn't beg for us to come here, we should NOT beg for us to stay here.
More over, we are all dissing our motherlands
Yes. I am included in all of the above :) (share the flames)
true_desi
Had a flash lightning of thought after I posted that... the thought was about the fake name I used.
It should read, "fake_desi" and not "true_desi". My bad! Apologies yo!...
Paul
The bill needs to be passed, and the Americans should not forget that America is a land of immigrants and the openness to that is what has given her the edge so far.
Neha
If this bill is passed..it will be a blessing for lot of people!!!
Marie
There is a very urgent need to pass this bill to keep up the competitiveness of America in the world.There is no point in losing US educated talent to other countries.
working mom
us citizens, i'm from a country where many americans are working as expatriats. we value them in our country, and i expect the same gesture from all of you. you don't even know what makes your economy is so great. the following is one of many articles that you can actually find easily. please please please read this for your knowledge http://www.contactomagazine.com/biznews/educatedimmigrants0107.htm. i hope by the end of it you'll understand a little bit about what's behind this bill.
hate_desi
All of the people here who agrees with this bill are Indians, as pertained by their horrible grammar, rediculous accent and mispelled words. Are this the high tech workers that we need? dumb indians!
@ Hate Desi
How can you say that English is the criteria to be in USA. Indian's speak much better english than American's .
The reason that there could be some errors in the english is " coding those millions of lines in the software " that makes the life of every American much simpler...Give a break mann...Indian's work their brains out to make a software to be understood my Dumb american's
ganesh
Please pass this bill. I want to give valuable service to your country, lets make better place for both of us.
Pallavi
Passing of this Bill is not only in favour for the immigrants and an opportunity for everyone working here, but will also be beneficial for the US economy and the system. It will bring in more money and power of skilled labor n intelligence into the Country deserving the same...
All for the Bill...!!
VMS
Whose that guy who got so bored or had nothing to do due to which that against column shot up from 13% in the afternoon to 53% in the nite...someone really has nothing to do it seems...anyways cap needs to be increased... this country is of immigrants unlike other nations...and the ppl who vote against should not forget they are all immigrants too.... this nation has prospered due to them and by building walls the whole economy would collapse... anyways I believe there are better visionaries in the senate who would let this bill pass for the better American future
truth
I hold masters degree with 2 yrs of experience...I will be going back home sometime in august because of the current situation...I am sure there will be many like me.
Brian
As a former tech worker (it's no longer economically responsible for me to work in my field in the US) I still have to say it's smart to encourage well educated tech workers to work here. We don't gain anything by dumbing down the criteria for tech work so that competing for jobs is easier. All that does is reduce the potential for quality output.
The companies that pay poorly and abuse employee relationships have their own issues that immigrant workers will learn on their own and the companies will either change or flounder.
Suresh
If this proposed bill would solve the skilled occupation shortage problem, why cant they do it and why aren't they doing it??
Joe
>How can you say that English is the criteria to be in USA.
>Indian's speak much better english than American's .
You do realize, I can only hope, that your poorly worded response only serves to prove the point the original poster was trying to make. :)
I must admit, I too find it ironic that the bulk of the "Pro" comments are badly worded.
Don't get me wrong, I could honestly care less one way or the other on S1092, I just hate self-serving politicking by anybody.... it'd be a bit like me screeching about lowering the tax on alcohol.
David
Do not support this bill. It is corporate America looking for a cheaper labor pool. Some resources could not be outsourced, so they bring the cheaper labor to the US.
Dave
Do not support this bill. 65000 visas are more than enough. We don't need 135000 visas moving forward. The effect of this legislation will be downward pressure on American Technology salaries. I was surprised to find so many responses and realize that this was a foreign worker blitz on the site. We can be competitive without an influx of cheap labor.
America First
Vote NO on this bill; all it does is allow big business to undercut fully paid American employees with slave labor from India et al. The businesses pay them typically 35% less, dangle the never-fulfilled promise of a green card, and threaten to send them back if they ever complain. This bill is nothing but slave labor for big business; the only people who benefit are big business.
walt
What a crock. I work in the Tech "Industry" and there are more than enough US workers.
What is lacking is enough US workers willing to work at crap wages. So by all means let's import foreign workers and pay them below market wages. Illegal, yes. Common practice anyway, yes.
Morgan
I am not in favor of this legislation. Why? Simply put: the whole system is a sham.
A nation that is truly committed to a free market would have a streamlined immigration process that would allow workers to come to the United States of America as law-abiding citizens. This country allows dual citizenship, and any potential workers should become citizens and come here legally.
I am a strong supporter of the free market. These programs are do not support a free market. They promote broken bureaucracies, big government, and corruption.
The answer is one simple system for citizenship. If you want to work and live here, become a citizen.
Robert
Why do companies invest millions in training people from another country just to lose them. This may extend the time they can stay or the number that can come, but in the end, it does not help America. It helps out some other country. Better they come and learn and leave than to continue to take jobs just because they are willing to work for less than Americans. At some point it will even out. If American companies want to get competitive then let them pay for the necessary education.
viral
everyone needs it
Matt
Do not pass this bill, it just pushes wages down for the many underemployed american tech workers. Ask the many IBM workers facing layoff about all these empty jobs that need filled, I'm sure they'd love to hear of them.
Ken
That said, I can not emphasize strongly enough the real reasons behind this bill, the desire by many businesses, to Not pay the "fair" wages and benefits to Existing workers here in the U.S., but to bring in workers from beyond its borders, and pay those workers quite less, significantly less. This bill is quite a sham, perpertrated by the big lobbyists of our day, and not perpetrated by some in our legislature.
We didn't learn from NAFTA? Yes, We Did!
This bill is another attempt, in a too-long line of "discrimination against the established worker pool" so as to "save" 15% (and up to a Lot more) in compensation packages.
Those companies asking for this don't deserve it, it's gone on for too long, and the working woman and man already here and able to do the work don't either.
Citizens, contact your Senators and Reps, we can't allow another sector of our citizens to be put out of work.
Frank
This is a minimum wage bill. A bunch of overpaid CEO's want techies who will work for $9 an hour. See how far this bill would go if it proposed replacing CEO's with imported workers.
me
This board is over run with uncounded SGI claims. Try Rural Sourcing First!
MIke
As you can see most of the favorable responses to this Bill come from foreigners. These jobs should go to US citizens first!
spam
This board is over run with uncounded SGI claims. Try Rural Sourcing First! .
too much SIG
This board is over run with uncounded SGI claims. Try Rural Sourcing First!
GreenLee
There are no checks and balances in this bill. Obviously this bill is intended to get even more cheap labor into the field.
I'm here Legally!
Bad bill for US tech workers!
Just like lax immigration law enforcement, this bill will benefit the hyper-rich, while giving the shaft to US workers.
Yes, it will benifit Ganesh, Rohini and other non-US workers, which explains why they are for it.
It will also depress wages and benefits for US tech workers. Great for business and the richest 1%, bad for most of us.
Read about the widening gap between the top 1% and the rest of us here:
http://www.cbpp.org/5-31-01tax-pr.htm
Riskable
Every time a company like Microsoft or Oracle hires an H1B that is one less American getting a job. Furthermore, it deflates American's salaries because H1Bs get paid an average of $25,000 less than a native would (despite what Bill Gates says).
Also consider that a shortage of IT workers CREATES JOBS which means MORE OPPORTUNITY and HIGHER SALARIES for all IT workers. If the H1B cap just keeps going up and up, careers in IT will decline even further as there will be less of an incentive to enter the market.
Every time you raise the cap on H1B workers you make the IT worker shortage worse in the long run.
-Riskable
Eric
This bill basically allows the larger corporations to import people from India who are willing to live and work at half wages as compared to the American IT worker.
Jigar
It should be raised.
Professor of Engineering
At the University we train the best and brightest. Only about 30% of our graduating students can find permanent positions. Where's the labor shortage?
Scott
Let's deflate salaries of high tech workers even more here in the US and guarantee we become a nation of burger flippers, realtors, and celebrity photographers. God knows we can never have enough of those.
jgo
Hagel's bill will accelerate the destruction of science and tech professions in the USA that was begun by creation of the H-1B. This, in turn, will worsen the US economy to the temporary personal benefit of the guest-workers and the executives.
VMS
As far as I think it would atleast make the companies competitive enough....who is getting less pay??...where did that misconception come from...ok bachelors guys from India..I dont know..IT i dont care..but about other sectors..guys are paid equivalent as an American...so there is no such thing as grabbing American jobs for less.. its just that the companies have a better choice to make from...better education and experience than other candidates...support free market for future existance..what about the ppl who have done their education here and been here for long time...u guys are immigrants urself..what makes u different...or else these excellent professionals would join some other country pushing Americans into third world status....
Jim
Shortages of tech workers is a lie. The unemployment rate of tech workers is 8.7 percent. African Americans have a 8.4 Umemployment rate.
For every tech jobs there are 100 hundred appplicants. Employers intentionally put U.S workers at the back of the line. The number of H1Bs annually is almost equal to new tech postitions created.
The postings to this site are plants
by the immigration lawyers and big business. The lack of facts in the postings is the proof.
Ed
What made the US great is that our companies used to support a skilled workforce. Now they want us to just roll over and sellout. The truth is that there are plenty of skilled workers here, but corporations want immigrants because they feel that they can get them cheaper. Don't let short-sighted execs pull the wool over your eyes, it's outsourcing without the expensive overhead!
Even with the alleged lack of skilled labor, bringing in more visa workers is only a stop gap measure at best, and a recipe for the ruination of our tech industry at worst. How long will they stay? Two years? Five years? The fact is that these visas are TEMPORARY! Most will take the knowledge they've gained here back to their country. Seriously, what's to stop them from stealing trade secretes and selling them back home?
So, if you want to sellout for bottom-line cheap labor, then let the bill pass, but if you stand for a competitive country in the tech industry, then stand for our workers!
Engineer Ken
Maybe as a short term solution but what about the long term? Are they going to increase funding for education in the areas supposedly lacking enough skilled employees? Perhaps less MBAs and more MSc, MD etc. Are they going to address other issues that lead to local skills shortages such as lack of affordable housing or the cost of gas & congestion restricting commuting. By the way I'm a legal permanent immigrant here because my wife is US citizen, I paid the $ and took the time to do it right.
Dipam
Please pass this bill. It will be good for all.
dutch
I've got a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and I am a US citizen. I can't generate any interest from employers. I've been beaten out of university jobs by foreigners. I watched foreigners get full funding for graduate school while I had to work a part-time job. I am disgusted with the situation. Hire US first!!
@ dutch
i’m a citizen and so embarrassed by how ignorant my people are, as we are immigrants ourselves. you’re now talking about competition in school that doesn’t have anything to do with low pay issue like all the above sore comments saying that foreigners are picked merely because of the low pay. everybody knows competition for scholarship is simply because of your brain! so go figure why you didn’t get the scholarship!
Someone
I have earned an advanced degree from a US University. I know that i can make a great difference in the engineering industry with the knowledge i have gained here. Because of tight immigration rules, i can not switch the employers.
This bill will definitely help thousands of students like me and in turn will help our society in many ways.
I WILL STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS BILL.
John
H1-B Visas are not used to import highly skilled people into this company. H1-B Visas are used by companies to avoid paying technology resources. If congress wants to increase H1-B visas fine... the bill should be amended so that H1-B visa can not be obtained by temporary employment agencies. I think we would find the current limit of h1-b visas which fluctuates between 65,000 and 250,000 would not get used up in a matter of hours. The rules that govern H1-B visas are not enforced often equally qualified H1-B visa employees are paid less than Citizen Employees. If there is a shortage of workers (I believe there is only a shortage of business wanting to invest in their workers) then it would stand to reason the workers would make the same wage.
Mark
Give the jobs to Americans first.
Mercator
e are all immigrants(well unless your Native American). As long as people want to come over here, learn, work, contribute and pay taxes I'm all for it. This is one of our countries greatest strengths, uniting people by a common goal, not a race, religion, or ethnicity.
@Mark
When you say Americans do you mean Native Americans?..rest of all are immigrants who have stayed a little longer for other rights..This might have been true in other countries...but not this one where the basic foundation was built by immigrants...Secondly in this global economy best brains are preferred first because they give value to the company...when there is acute shortage of employees (now dont tell me there isnt.. as far I see hardly any graduate student is a citizen...most of them either chinese or indians..and if you say no to this you havent gone to a graduate school at all...)..so if you really want to get a job they work hard and compete...nothing comes for free
I.T. Worker
Just one more way to lower the wages of Americans.
Ted
"The High-Tech Worker Relief Act of 2007"
Hypocrisy if I ever heard it! How does this help high-tech workers in the US? Or is this filed under "foreign aid"?
There are plenty of high-tech workers already here. Companies don't want to negotiate wages for experienced workers. They want foreign students fresh "off the boat" with no experience, who they can get cheaply.
This isn't "importing education," which is a myth anyways. This is all about "CHEAP LABOR". Period.
Hey, I heard about a small college in 'Timbuktu' and the local economy pays $.50 an hour for basket weavers, but they invested $10,000 to produce 50 high-tech workers a year who are willing to work for US minimum wage (and an additional 20 "off-clock" hours), we better hurry up and get worker visas for them!
NOT
Yes, Yes, the US needs to increase the labor pool so we don't have to pay top dollar for the talented American Professionals. Adding foreign labor that is willing to give 110% for less than the cost of an American is in high demand. Afterall, Golden Parachutes are not getting any cheaper. Shrinking the Middle Class can only improve the status of us in the upper class.
FL_American
Above, one guy wrote "Give a break mann...Indian's work their brains out to make a software to be understood my Dumb american's". That is what the Indians think of us...they think we are dumb for letting so many of them in...they are right. Pass this and you put more Americans out of work, simply because executives want more money and they are willing to grease the palms of representatives. They're selling us out. To the Indians who are posting here in huge numbers, you think you are brought to the US for your skills, because you are the 'best and the brightest'. Get a grip. Your schools, your language, your social skills, and your code are all sub par...your in the US because you are cheap and easily manipulated, period.
FL_American
Above stated..."i’m a citizen and so embarrassed by how ignorant my people are, as we are immigrants ourselves."..Not true. My gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfather came here in 1757 from London, and fought in the revolutionary war. My family has been here longer than the country. My family 'did not' immigrate to the United States..we came to the British colonies, not the United States. If you want to state fact, then get them right. This is like saying America is a democracy, we are not, we are a constitutional republic, at least for now. If they do not close the borders, we may have a new government during our lifetime.
American Citizen.
If the multinational corporations had it their way, there would still be slave labor in the U.S.
Better for the bottom line.
One way
One sure way to piss of and get the attention of the American people is to take away their jobs.
For the mankind
Guys,
Please do NOT create misunderstanding with few people's comments on who can do a better job. Please stop fighting about being the citizen of this nation or the other.
In my opinion, if an individual's talent/skills can be channelized to serve the nature/mankind/our future generation, it really does NOT matter what nationality the individual belongs to.
If you see our children in schools, they are of different ethnicity/race/color. Lets come together on a common platform and decide what is good for all of us. Again, ALL OF US means every one in USA (immigrants and citizens).
GOD BLESS EVERYONE !!!
albi
There is no need for more tech workers. But there is always a need for more cheap tech workers. If US companies need more tech workers, they ought to pay more. Keeping H1B numbers down will help indigenous US technical training.
Quota Man
Hey! How about a bill that limits the number of foreign workers a company can employ. Pass this one and that one and we've got a deal. What do you say? How about 5% foreign workers and 95% naturalized American Citizens. That sounds fair.
Weaver
In 2003 the employment to population ratio (Men 65 and under), dipped below the 1983 recession levels. Additionally, these employment to population levels have not recovered to the 1992 recession lows and the duration of the 2001 recession has lasted 4 years, twice as long as the prior 2 recessions.
Of course, women in predominantly male occupations will experience the same employment difficulties as men.
We don't have low unemployment rates we have low emploment rates.
I'm against it, they are guest-workers send them home to build their own economy.
Ralph B. Lantz
This bill is designed to do one thing, allow companies to bring in cheap labor from overseas to replace US Citizens in the high tech work force. I know the shills for Microsoft and others say there are protections for US workers but this is a lie. A DOL publication says replacing US workers with H1-Bs is legal.
We have lost our manafacturing base, now the Bill Gates of the world are targeting our high tech industries. If this bill passes, is your industry next?
Mark
Enough with the we are all immigrants BS! There is nothing in this bill that will empower a company to employ and hard working AMERICAN when a lower wage foreign worker can bought for much less wages.
I've personally experienced being denied college placement, employment, and housing all for the cause of social diversity in the name of equality, affirmative action, or what ever political saying of the month you wish to use. The only people that benefit from a bill like this are foreigners. This kind of statement "so if you really want to get a job they work hard and compete...nothing comes for free" must come from a foreigner that does not understand that the very freedoms they so enjoy in our country come from people like me that have fought for our freedoms that we hold so dear. I've worked hard for my success and was never given a handout to achieve it, so I ask you are you willing to stand your post and fight for yours?
Make Sense
In every industry, we call/hire/accept people who are not of US origin.
In hollywood, ARNOLD is from austria, ANTONIO and SALMA are from Mexico.
In NBA, we accept good players from Europian countries to play for our teams.
We could have got someone from USA to replace ANTONIO, SALMA or anyone with foreign nationality.
Does this mean, these people snatched american jobs?
Dan
Increasing the cap on these visas is a big mistake. It lowers the salary cap for everybody.
@Dan
And what happens to the US companies competing with the multinationals across the globe...they would find it hard to convince their consumers the only reason their product prices are high is because their employees are not very flexible. And in future all the companies would shut down one after another just because consumers don't buy such arguements. And you know that would not happen as US companies have 10 year goals which they plan in advance. So what is the solution they would identify?..outsourcing the job..and who is left unemployed?..times change and so does wages etc..live with it..
Work
Yes, this bill should pass, if America wants to stay competitive and the American dream is to be realized.
John
In order to keep our country most competitive in the world, pass this bill. My co-citizens, please have a long vision in benefit of whole nation.
I support this bill.
Chris Gray
Please oppose this. My problem with the H-1B visas is that we hire a qualified person, then we give that person 6 years of experience. Then we send them home, I'd much rather that the experience stays here. This could mean making it easier for people with H-1Bs to become citizens, or by forcing American corporations to hire Americans.
Jessica
Pleaase support this bill. Its better to have jobs in America than to outsource them. This will keep our country competitive.Think long term
KBC
This bill will do good to every one and will help our nation to gain a stronger position in the world.
We definitely do not want short term happiness and long term suffernings.
EB3
This bill can bring sanity & relief to the **legal** immigrants waiting in line for years!
John Lennon
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
Abby
I work with Indians and they are polite, caring & good workers. America is the only country in the world founded by immigrants...why not let him in, stay and work ?
win
IBM is going to be laying off 13,000 in the US, rumors are up to 100,000. This is after increased hiring in China and India. IBM is also working on freezing the retirement of US employees.
Duke did a study in 2005 and found that there is no shortage of Engineers in the US, its about the $ for business.
No to increases.
@ win
IF IBM anyways is going to INDIA and CHINA to cut the cost of products and operations, outsourcing is affecting the jobs in USA NOT this bill.
So what is better? Jobs staying in USA or Jobs being outsourced?
This bill is making sure that jobs stay in USA.
I SUPPORT THIS BILL.
Rohit
I hope this bill passes soon. These workers wants to come to the country legally and will pay taxes just like everybody else. Also it will give the technological edge we need.
Bad Times
I guess this bill would be ignored as illegal immigrant bill has supressed it big time in the senate. This bill involves relief to single most problem of providing Visas to the college grads from USA. This would also ensure outsourcing is reduced as grads tend to work from American companies and generally stay back for good building the economy. Alas low skilled workers is what Senate wishes for....
John
What a crooked bill. First off, the US government is here to serve the interests of US citizens first, NOT foreign workers who want into the system. We pay taxes to the government that represents us. We don't want a saturation of workers driving down the salary of one of the few high paying professions left. This isn't xenophonic, its nationalistic.
Second, there is absolutely NO shortage of talented engineers/scientists already in the United States. A job opening in engineering draws hundreds of American applicants. It isn't about shortage of talent, its about price control. This bill is designed specifically to turn a $50 million bonus into a $60 million dollar bonus for executives.
This bill will result in even less US students pursuing engineering/science careers because it will turn them in to lousy $35k/yr jobs. It won't add talent it will destory what is already here.
JACKIE
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
WE WILL ALWAYS THANK YOU FOR THAT!
LORENA
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
PLEASE PASS IT!!
dr iyer
segregate the skilled worker bill from the unskilled labor portion.do not confuse issues by mixing these two.passing the skilled worker bill esp the us degree holders makes a lot of sense and beneficial for the country
Rap
Join and fight in Iraq...Then you can stay in US..Otherwise hire Vets who have.
Bill
If 12 million illegal, undocumented workers can lead to US Citizenship, why not allow 400,000 skilled workers to serve the big economy of this great nation?
We have scarcity of high tech professionals. When there is a demand, there is a supply, why is it so difficult to take a decision on this issue. This bill should be passed.
John
We do not have a scarcity of high tech professionals at all in the US. This 'shortage' of high tech workers are lies put out by corporations to flood the market with workers in order to keep salaries down.
I find it fascinating how many clueless people who probably have no experience in the high tech have industry have commented on this thread. You watch CNN and Foxnews and they say there is a shortage of engineers and provide no evidence to support this. So instead of questioning it, you instantly accept that they are saying.
Companies are having enormous difficulties with outsourcing, that's why they want this bill. This bill will STEAL jobs from graduating engineering students in the US and give them to foreign workers who will work for slave wages.
@John
John, you blame guys about watching CNN and FOX and commenting regarding lack of skilled workers..but you have never provided your source which makes u firmly believe that US does not have any scarcity... graduating engineers? have u seen a class of graduating engineers...? u would find hardly few American faces around. Dont just fire ur cannon in the air..make a deep research and u would see the shortage. Regarding slave wages I guess there is a law to handle that if u don't know.
Bill
DEFINITELY there IS a scarcity of skilled workers in USA. Otherwise we would never have immigrants in our nation.
Even in day to day life, recruiters find it so difficult to find a right candidate for the job.
Mike
All,
Please refer to the following report/link that is given by white house regarding "Skills for the U.S. Workforce"
http://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/ch2-erp06.pdf
John
Are you a recruiter? Do you know any recruiters?? I have an engineering degree, and graduated within just the last few years. So I, and other graduating engineers, would probably have a fresher view than most.
As far as sources....Duke University published a study in National Academy of Sciences Magazine that thoroughly debunks this myth:
http://www.issues.org/23.3/wadhwa.html
The average U.S. engineer starts at just over $50k per year. There may be a minimum wage in this country, however there is nothing to prevent companies from paying engineers $35k per year due to a flooded candidate market. This is a slave wage to me, and if you had to go through 4 years of engineering school just to earn that kind of pay, you would say the same.
They are already HIGHLY selective of who they hire...they don't need this bill for a wider range of applicants. They want this bill for price control in a time of already record profits. Don't give them that control.
@john
yeah when you talk about bachelors degree to certain extent there are US students around. But in a graduate school (MS & PhD) the trend is certainly bad.. FYI I graduated with a masters degree in chemical engineering last year. But as far as I know my company hired couple of freshers straight out of school with MS in chem engg. sponsored their H1B and are paid around $60,000 way more than ur average.So don't show such comparisons..there are pros and cons..but important thing is the country progressing with bright students who earn their graduate degrees from US although they are from different nationality.And always remember the quote "Survival of the Fittest".. you would be well served.
EB3
Attracting skilled labor does not decrease job opportunities, it creates more work.
Stopping skilled labor immigration will take jobs away from U.S.
The world is flat! (Read it)
John
"The world is flat (Read it)"
I have indeed read it. A decent book with some very valid points. I don't think Friedman is anywheres near qualified to make this kind of analysis, however. I think an economist would have done a better job on the issue.
I acknowledge the benefits immigration of skilled workers have had on the U.S., and could potentially have in the future. However, I still question that this is the real objective of the bill. To the fellow ChemE graduate above...I hope your right. I'll rest with that.
T
There are plenty of engineers already here, and looking for jobs. Rather than pay others nothing, cough up the decent wages to the ones that are here. Also the ones with jobs can probably do 3 times the work with decent wages.
Protect the Americans and vote this thing down.
GEORGE
Please read the article
http://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/ch2-erp06.pdf
There is a SCARCITY of talent in USA in variety of fields ENGINEERING, NURSING, INFORMATION TECH etc. Instead of the jobs going outside, lets SUPPORT this bill and save this great nation.
hifi50
IMPORTANT SUGGESTION!
First preference should be given to students who completed four years undergraduate studies and obtained Bachelor's Degree from a US University.Students/Job seekeres from the other country's universities should be next in the list.
Those UG Students, from US universities have spent lots of money obtaining US Degree and they loose the battle of obtaining H1B Visa with other students/job seekers, who have obtained degree cheap.
USA Should respect and value it's own Undergraduate students/USA Qualified Bachelor degree holders first in h1b lottery sysytem!
@hifi50
Thank you hifi, your comments summarize all I was trying to say earlier.
Save U.S. Jobs!
Dangerous bill! Vote NO! How many ways will Congress try to hike legal & illegal immigration this year?
1. No such thing as a temp gov't program! Congress will increase/extend/make permanent the quotas in future.
2. The Amnesty bill will destroy entry-level jobs for America's youth & poor & many moderately-skilled workers.
3. THIS bill will take high-tech/skilled jobs from American grads & help destroy the middle class by lowering wages.
4. Any job that can't be outsourced will be insourced by importing foreign labor. That's why the big push for Amnesty & this bill.
5. Same mentality as slave owners who "insourced" their laborers.
6. What happened to Henry Ford's concept--the one which BUILT America's middle class: Pay people enough so they could buy the cars they made!
7. In the 1950's the U.S. responded to Soviet advances in science by encouraging American kids to learn science--not by importing foreigners!
Saving USA will save US jobs
1. We always needed high skilled workers in several streams of industries. Clinton Admnistration understood this very well and saw great economic heights and progress.
2. This bill will make sure that all the skilled jobs will stay in USA and in turn will create more jobs for future generation. Remember money goes where money is..
3. As years will go by, we americans will realize that we need more techies in our nation (does not matter us citizens or immigrants) if we don't want china or north korea to be super powers.
4. If we were self sufficient in terms of human resources, we would have never set any immigration policy. Why more than 33% of NASA, MICROSOFT workforce is of different origin? We need research scientists and smart people to cure cancer, TB and many other diseases.
5. For Y2K project ( year 1999), we imported many foreigners talent to save our economy, our banak balances.
We are well educated people, lets move forward. YES TO THIS BILL !!!
Stephen
Companies oursource jobs because it is cheaper NOT because there is a shortage. So why will a bill that increases the number of engineers prevent oursourcing? The answer...it will prevent outsourcing by decreasing salaries in the United States. What a HORRIBLE idea!
President Bush said that the outsourced factory jobs would be replaced by high paying white collar jobs. If this bill passes, now what??? This bill will make it so entry level American engineers will be replaced by a flood of those who will work for less. Is that really going to encourage American students to study engineering? Of course not!
NO on this bill. It will deter Americans away from studying engineering and make it hard(er) for graduating engineers to find jobs
AMERIKA - Rammstein
Immigrants are the best next citizens
Amerika is a land of everyone
(Due respect to native Indians, feel sorry for you guyz)
Diogenes
This bill is about American business avoiding the high cost of paying for an educated workforce. If high-tech workers are in such demand in the USA, TRAIN THEM! And improve our education system to better prepare the next generation of skilled labor. This bill needs to be defeated.
prajakta
Please pass the bill ASAP , as it is the need of today's BIZ.
Sajad Zafar
bill should be passed...
AmericanEngineeringGraduate
There is no high tech worker crisis. This is nonsense from companies who don't want to pay a fair salary for the expertise provided. Engineering salaries may SEEM good to the layman, but are far too low considering I've spent 6 years of my life studying my ass off and aquiring debt.
Engineer from MA
I know there is a lack of trained tech. help these days. And this would probaly help in the short term. The reason why we have a shortage is because todays students are smarter than we were. They know where the money is and they work toward it. If you want more high tech workers than you will have to pay them more money. Let supply and demand sort this out! Don't pass the bill!
Supply
Are you anti-competitive ?
So the main reason is that salaries will go down ? So what ?
If there is an immigrant equal or better & will work for equal or less.
There is nothing wrong with it.
Skill is a commodity, if you don't let free markets govern that (by allowing techies in the country), then you are un-american
A Techy
For all those who thinks that every foreign worker shows up in U.S. works for less than the prevailing wage is just ignorant about the facts. There are lot of foreigners who got here as student and pay more than twice if not thrice than American students and work for the same salary as American. The problem is that there is lot of demand for Computer Techies that can design and develop complex applications. So if you are an American and you can't find a job in this field, then there must be a problem with you not the Foreign workers taking the job away from you. So I strongly urged this bill passed to help all those who are stuck in the GC visa retrogression for 5-6 years. The sahmefull thing is that Congress and Senate is busy passing bill to legalize illegals than help the legal immigrants. I bet AmericanGraduate has no problem legalizing the illegals because they are really working for minimal wages.
Douglas
A recent U.N. report shows once again American workers are the most productive in the world with Ireland a distant second. This bill proposes to absorb 180,000 H1-B applicants from parts of the world with the least efficient work forces. Is it ethical to draw them away from impoverished parts of the world where their skills are desperately needed? What is the enviromental and social impact of absorbing each year a predominately male workforce with a footprint roughly equal in size to Spokane Washington?
Dorn
The immigration lawyers would love it - they get lots of clients.
Business would love it - they get lots of cheap labor (with no rights)
Many politicians want it - they get campaign contributions from business.
But is it good for skilled Americans that work hard to join the workforce? NO
Is there really a shortage? NO
Dan
Money goes where money is?
Is that a realtive of the trickle down theory.
Watch the award winning Canadian documentary called The Corporation.
Its online. It is important to understand the nature of an entity that has such a large impact on our world, and to understand why the regulation is so important.
Theory is great but take a look at the hard facts. The income divide in the US and lack of job security for Americans is becoming dangerous. The data is out there. Investigate.
Concerned American
If there is such a shortage of workers, why would so many Americans be against the raising of the H-1B?
Because many skilled Americans cannot find the jobs they need and they are being discriminated against in their own country - after they work hard and pay big bucks to join the workforce.
This is not The American Dream - its the American Set-UP
For Our Future
PLEASE GET INFORMED.
Get a lot of the facts and the history of the H-1B at
http://www.numbersusa.com/interests/hightech.html
Also read "Debunking The Myth Of The Desperate Software Labor Shortage" by Dr. Norm Matloff, a professor at UC Davis (CA) who became active on this issue when even his best computer science students complained to him that they could not find jobs.
Unemployed Programmer Analyst
Since 1985, over 17 million visas have been issued to allow aliens to work in the United States. These nonimmigrant visas, or NIV, are company sponsored visas that use a variety of different names including H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, J-1, L-1, and TN.
In the year 2001, 9 out of every 10 new job openings for computer/IT were taken by H-1Bs, and despite record unemployment the INS issued 312,000 visas in 2002.
By the year 2003 the total number of H-1B visas for high-tech workers issued was greater than the total number of high-tech jobs eliminated. Negative job growth in Computer/IT for U.S. citizens can be directly correlated with the huge influx of H-1B visa holders. If it wasn't for H-1B the unemployment rate for Computer/IT workers would be 0%.
Year laid off: 2002 (rumors heard "less expensive IT labor available")
Douglas
A recent U.N. report shows once again American workers are the most productive in the world with Ireland a distant second. This bill proposes to absorb 180,000+ H1B applicants from parts of the world with the least efficient work forces. Is it ethical to draw skilled workers away from impoverished parts of the world where their skills are desperately needed? What are the enviromental and social impacts of absorbing each year a predominately male workforce with a footprint roughly equal in size to Spokane Washington?
John
I come from a third world country where it is impossible to use my Computer Engineering degree simply because there is no computer industry. So the bill does not try to "steal" skilled workers from impoverished countries, it simply gives skilled workers a chance to use their talent and make a living.
Pass the bill!
Not So Cheap IT Guy
Dear "Unemployed", I am a H1B worker, I see more of my American Born coworkers very comptative, none of them lost thier jobs. In fact, when H1B became programmers other moved up in the chain.
And dont think foreign born workers are cheap. I make $130/year in Houston.
I would advise you to stop complaining and start building your skills and getting competative.
Good luck and hope I did not increae your heartburn!
chemohan
I am not sure whether all these genuine pleas for not only one's personal advancement but also substantial contribution to the development of a crime-free & purpose-driven society will be heard by those biased in the congress. This is affirmative action. Wisemen will act without delay.