Reporter Finally Gets It Right on H-1Bs
I nearly had a seizure reading Liz Peek's article on H-1B in the Fiscal Times. Ms. Peek had actually done some research and independent thinking; something nearly absent in today's media.
Ms. Peek observed the claims about the state of the job market for technology workers are conflicting. That alone puts Ms. Peek ahead of the media pack, where most reporters simply parrot the talking points lobbyists put in front of them. Then she observed that the discrepancy exists "Because most of the analysis done on the topic is by groups with an obvious agenda." Then she made the connection between campaign cash and politicians who claim there is a labor shortage. All the dots were connected.
The only suggestion I have for Ms. Peek is to point out that government-funded studies also conflict with industry claims of a labor shortage.
The story of H-1B is quite simple. The cost of labor is cheaper in other countries. Industry craves cheaper-by-the-hour workers. Most technology work cannot be done remotely so the cheap labor needs to be brought here.
Sadly, the cost of buying a senator is much less than the savings an employer can get by hiring just one programmer on an H-1B visa in the New York or San Francisco area.
If H-1B is needed because of a labor shortage, why have industry lobbyists taken extreme action to ensure they can replace the Americans they have with foreign workers?...
CAIRCO Research