I understand why businesses want more H1-B visas-- it's so they can hire more skilled workers at less cost. But it's more insidious than just displacing an American from that job. As if displacement weren't bad enough...
Foreign nationals who come here to work under an H1-B visa usually end up making less and-- truly, I've seen it-- are sometimes treated like indentured servants. The company promises them lawyers to help with their green card (permanent residency) but strings that process along for *years*. All the while, the worker is stuck at the company unless they want to start over at a new one.
There are actually businesses that specialize in running adds for programmers where the job requirements listed are actually impossible to meet. That is then used as proof that a company tried to hire a citizen or resident but was unable to fill the position proving that they need to bring in someone from another country.
It's in the news again. A new record, in fact. All of this year's visas were depleted in 5 days. So, of course, a bunch of rich people have come together to lobby for more visas. Here's a warning about it from the IEEE. Seriously? How can anyone even consider this when we have the lowest percentage of Americans employed since President Carter. And for those who have jobs, the number of underemployed is unbelievably large. Seriously.
I've said this before and I'm going to keep saying it. Why not just let anyone come here and work but impose a flat percentage tax on it at the federal level? 20%? 50%? I don't know the right number, but I do know that would give the businesses the flexibility to bring anyone eligible in from anywhere, reduce the deficit, and give Americans a better than fair shot at the job (which, btw, would also reduce the deficit.)
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