September 12, 2007
WashTech News
The Governors of Washington and California have spearheaded a call to Congress to increase the number of H-1B visas allowed per year. Along with Gregoire and Schwarzenegger, eleven other governors signed the letter presented to the Democratic and Republican leaders of the House and Senate on September 11.
The letter, which states, "businesses should be able to find the world's best educated workers," ignores the fact that thousands of the "best educated workers" who already live in the U.S. have difficulty finding work. The letter also repeats the myth that there is a "critical shortage of highly skilled professionals in math and science." This myth has long ago been debunked by a Duke University study published five months ago.
Citing the rapid speed by which yearly H-1B quotas are met, the pro-visa group organization, Compete America helped craft the letter. What the letter ignores is that the quota is largely filled by companies like Wipro, Infosys and Tata which specialize in staffing companies with Indian workers.
Several congressional proposals propose expanding the annual cap on H-1Bs, but some politicians have voiced concern that the program is being abused in a way that replaces American workers or depresses their wages in comparable positions.
Top IT Headlines
WashTech News: IT Industry News |
WashTech News
Gregoire, Schwarzenegger lead call for increased H-1Bs
Are you sick and tired of hearing elected officials calling for more increases in the H-1B visas? Now we have state governors getting in on the act.  Take Action! If you live in one of the 13 states where the governor signed the letter, tell him or her to stop H-1B Visa increases! These are the states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming |
The Governors of Washington and California have spearheaded a call to Congress to increase the number of H-1B visas allowed per year. Along with Gregoire and Schwarzenegger, eleven other governors signed the letter presented to the Democratic and Republican leaders of the House and Senate on September 11.
The letter, which states, "businesses should be able to find the world's best educated workers," ignores the fact that thousands of the "best educated workers" who already live in the U.S. have difficulty finding work. The letter also repeats the myth that there is a "critical shortage of highly skilled professionals in math and science." This myth has long ago been debunked by a Duke University study published five months ago.
Citing the rapid speed by which yearly H-1B quotas are met, the pro-visa group organization, Compete America helped craft the letter. What the letter ignores is that the quota is largely filled by companies like Wipro, Infosys and Tata which specialize in staffing companies with Indian workers.
Several congressional proposals propose expanding the annual cap on H-1Bs, but some politicians have voiced concern that the program is being abused in a way that replaces American workers or depresses their wages in comparable positions.
Email Article
Talkback on Article
Oct 31, 2007, 7:43 pm
After 911, I drove a cab between contracts my student loans went up $8000. The H1B visa's were not revoked. Who do I sue for taxation without representation?
David, Seattle, WA USA
David, Seattle, WA USA
Sep 29, 2007, 1:06 am
It's one thing to have Indian workers if they are truly more competent than Americans; another if they are incompetent. My current boss' only apparent qualification is that she is Indian, and used to work for AOL.
Isn't capitalism supposed to reward merit and efficiency? Not at my job. I guess this is why my dad fought in two wars for this country.
April, Washington, D.C.
April, Washington, D.C.
Sep 28, 2007, 8:42 pm
There are no Democrats anymore.
So much for "letting the marketplace decede".
aikanae, Scottsdale, AZ
aikanae, Scottsdale, AZ
Sep 14, 2007, 1:01 pm
?? Isn't is all about "HOW NOT TO HIRE AN AMERICAN WORKER"!
go to the following
www.youtube.com/programmersguild
? Can you handle the truth?
Do you want the truth ( something you won't get from the Amerikan [sic] Korporate [sic] press)
then go to
www.eng-i.com/E-Newsletters.htm
Bob, Chgo
Bob, Chgo
Sep 13, 2007, 2:28 pm
I am a small IT business owner that seeks temporary staff on a continual basis. The fact of the matter is when we use job sites like Dice and Monster, atleast 95% of the responses are H1-bs or L-1s. Since I am extremely tecnical, interviewing these individuals quickly reveals that they are some of the worlds worse to mediocre IT talent. This, coupled with the fact that there are already too many of them in the US, is grounds to cut H1bs, not increase. Also, their master degrees are not equiv
NO REFERER
Mike Wiegand, Sacramento Place County
Mike Wiegand, Sacramento Place County
Sep 13, 2007, 11:41 am
I believe that's a govt determined "MINIMUM" wage (i.e. entry level), Al. The Governor of Indiana is a signer of this letter and I'm not at all surprised. What did they expect from a former corporate lawyer. But the CWA is no better. You held a fundraiser for Barack Obama, a supporter of "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" that included expanding limits on H1B visas. I prefer to protest on my own rather than link myself to a self-defeating trade union.
Roger W. Groover, Anderson, IN, USA
Roger W. Groover, Anderson, IN, USA
Sep 12, 2007, 11:59 pm
You know what..I would say Kudos to Arnie for the boldnesss. Guess what .. I've for long believed these H1Bs are cheap workers thanks to Dobbs n other rusty unemployed programmers. It turns out they are one of the most highly paid ones... a govt determined wage determination is a prcondition to hire an H1B.
Albert, Jacksonville, FL, USA
Albert, Jacksonville, FL, USA
Sep 12, 2007, 10:28 pm
In my experience I have seen many H1-B visa folks come into the States and never leave the States. Before any immigration reforms and Visas are granted there should be an Immigration Tracking System to ensure that Visas granted for student, work or otherwise are accounted for and are checked to confirm that no one overstays their visas. Until a system like this is in place I will NOT support any increase in Vias applications because of security purposes and becaue of abuse of the system.
NO REFERER
Dan Fergo, Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 USA
Dan Fergo, Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 USA
Sep 12, 2007, 9:42 pm
I really can't believe this actiion by these Governors. They apparently must be getting a kickback from such foreign entities as Wipro, Infosys and Tata. I can believe Rick Perry has done this but not Schwarzenegger. I thought he was a tue man of the people for his state. Perry has already sold out the toll road projects to a Spanish firm, but I always thought Mr. Schwarzenegger backed the people of his state based on his past comments. It seems he too has been sold a "Bill of GOODS"
Don Steinbach, Georgetown, TX - USA
Don Steinbach, Georgetown, TX - USA
Sep 12, 2007, 7:22 pm
So Our Governor of Arizona must of got money from Bill Gates and Company I thought she was a Democrat!! but then again I Though Kennedy from Mass. was a Democrate also!! They , the Democrates have sold out and are no better than the Republicans. they all need to be sent 'packing' this next election. We the people need to 'write in' the real people and replace both the Democrates and Republicans as they continue to bow and cater to the corporations greed for cheap labor and not the people of ou
Ken Ward, queen Creek Pinal
Ken Ward, queen Creek Pinal
Sep 12, 2007, 5:48 pm
Well this is one skilled IT worker that is still awaiting the call for an IT job. We as citizens should be able to cut our costs as well by simply not paying our taxes. Or, perhaps we could off shore ourselves?
Raymond Cannella, Olympia, WA USA
Raymond Cannella, Olympia, WA USA
Sep 12, 2007, 5:11 pm
I was not really surprised to see that Rick Perry had signed the letter to increase the H-1B type visas, but saddened and maddened by his actions. Once again he is putting Texans and Americans last.
Julie Taylor, Dallas, TX, USA
Julie Taylor, Dallas, TX, USA