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  1. #1
    Senior Member 6 Million Dollar Man's Avatar
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    California Republican Pushes H-1B Visa Limits With Tech Company Support

    California Republican Pushes H-1B Visa Limits With Tech Company Support

    A California congressman, backed by U.S. technology companies, is pushing for the House to consider legislation that would narrow the number of eligible candidates for H-1B visas that are awarded to highly skilled foreign workers.


    Darrell Issa, a Republican who sponsored the measure, has been told the bill is likely to be considered by the chamber next month, according to spokesman Calvin Moore.


    The bill, which would raise the minimum salary requirements for visa applicants from companies that rely on foreigners, unanimously cleared the Judiciary Committee in November and is backed by Facebook Inc., Microsoft Corp., Oracle Corp. and other technology companies. Similar legislation hasn’t advanced in the Senate and prospects for Congress passing the measure are in doubt as lawmakers debate more pressing immigration issues.


    Issa and businesses that back the bill say that H.R. 170 would give U.S. technology companies a better chance of securing visas for their employees to work in the country by reducing the number of applications from Indian technology firms.


    Lottery System

    Under current rules, the H-1B program allows companies to hire high-skilled workers from overseas, with 85,000 visas available annually. Because the demand exceeds the quota, companies enter a lottery to compete for visas. Issa said Indian technology companies, which generally hire lower-wage, lower-skilled workers than U.S.-based technology firms, have won a disproportionate number of slots because they submit more applications.
    “All of the high-tech companies complain that if they were allowed to compete on a true lottery or based on price, that they would get more of the slots,” Issa said.
    President Donald Trump has suggested he would favor changes to the visa system -- but not necessarily those being considered by lawmakers. During his campaign, Trump had called the H-1B system a "cheap labor program" that displaces American workers. Unions have also said they want to see lawmakers change the visa program to protect U.S. workers.
    A spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, didn’t respond to questions about when the measure would be taken up by the House.

    The Trump administration has made it more difficult to obtain H-1B visas. The president directed federal agencies to award visas only to "the most skilled and highest-paid" applicants, resulting in fewer applications being approved even after winning a slot in the lottery. The approval rate fell from about 92 percent in August to 82 percent in November, according to data by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
    Salary Threshold

    Issa’s measure would increase the annual salary threshold from $60,000 to at least $90,000 for employers that rely on a high percentage of H-1B workers.
    A different immigration issue has dominated congressional discussions: shielding undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children from deportation. Trump said he plans next month to end an Obama-era program that protected them and called on Congress to enact legislation resolving the issue.
    Negotiators from both parties have been unable to reach agreement, and the Senate is set to begin floor debate next week in an effort to come up with a bipartisan plan to protect the young immigrants, known as dreamers.
    Second-ranking House Democrat Steny Hoyer of Maryland said the H-1B visa measure should be considered as part of comprehensive immigration legislation, not as a stand-alone bill.
    In the Senate, a bill that includes similar changes related to wages, along with an expansion of the number of H-1B visas available, hasn’t gained traction. “It’s not moving too fast,” said bill sponsor Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican. Hatch, who has unsuccessfully pushed the measure in previous years, said he hopes to attach it to legislation protecting the young undocumented immigrants.
    The best chance of passing H-1B legislation is early this year, said Scott Corley, executive director of Compete America, a coalition that represents companies and trade associations on immigration. The group supports the Issa and Hatch measures. As the November congressional elections draw closer, lawmakers are less likely to act, he said.

    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...ompany-support

  2. #2
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    It’s time to stop all of this BS. Hire American Citizens only ! Eliminate all H1 Visa’s.
    We are Americans - Act like Americans. If these employers don’t want to hire Americans they should move their company to another country.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Judy's Avatar
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    I'm confused, is he limiting the number of H1B visas? Making it better from our side? It sounds like that's what he's trying to do. I would support that if that's what it's supposed to do.
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    Senior Member 6 Million Dollar Man's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Judy View Post
    I'm confused, is he limiting the number of H1B visas? Making it better from our side? It sounds like that's what he's trying to do. I would support that if that's what it's supposed to do.
    Good question Judy. I'm a little confused too. I was hoping you guys could decipher it.

    It says that this guy is pushing for H-1B Visas to be limited, but what is confusing me is that these big companies support it, which is kind of confusing, since these same companies are profiting from the cheap labor.

    But what I didn't know, and kind of like, is that Trump made it harder to obtain an H-1B Visa. But a 10 percent reduction isn't enough.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Judy's Avatar
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    Yeah, I think what Issa and the Tech companies are trying to do is shut down those foreign networks like Tata, which is an Indian company that Hillary Clinton set up in the US to raid our visa program and then sub-out those workers to industry. I think what the tech companies want is to have a higher salary cap, get rid of the foreign middle man like Tata, and while having fewer to choose from and it costing more for the individual worker, they hire them direct instead of through these horrible foreign networks. I like this. I'd prefer to get rid of all H1B's, but at 85,000 and then shrinking with this bill and better enforcement by Trump, as well as raising the salary to $90,000, that will save a lot of American Jobs and stop the wage deflation for our high tech workers. I always liked Darrell Issa, so I'm glad to see him trying to help us with this H1B problem and also appreciate the tech companies raising the wage to limit the number.

    Yes, thank you for noticing about the work Trump is doing. He is doing so much for US, he really is, much of it behind the scenes that doesn't get any publicity. I know everyone's upset about the DACA thing, but he's just doing what he thinks people want in order to get something done.

    We have to get the message to him that despite Ann Coulter's wailing for the past year about the wall not already being built, we don't want a wall if the price tag is any type of amnesty. I'm not sure he knows that. He's looking at it from a problem-solving standpoint, 4 big things in exchange for amnesty for some. In most circles, that makes sense, but not in ours, because we know where it leads, what it means, and what will happen. Congress will repeal whatever they pass, they will never follow-through with the money or authorizations, it will be a big swindle just like last time.

    NO DACA, NO DEAL, NO AMNESTY!! HOLD THE LINE!! DEPORT! DEPORT! DEPORT!!
    Last edited by Judy; 02-13-2018 at 12:21 AM.
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  6. #6
    Senior Member 6 Million Dollar Man's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Judy View Post
    Yeah, I think what Issa and the Tech companies are trying to do is shut down those foreign networks like Tata, which is an Indian company that Hillary Clinton set up in the US to raid our visa program and then sub-out those workers to industry. I think what the tech companies want is to have a higher salary cap, get rid of the foreign middle man like Tata, and while having fewer to choose from and it costing more for the individual worker, they hire them direct instead of through these horrible foreign networks. I like this. I'd prefer to get rid of all H1B's, but at 85,000 and then shrinking with this bill and better enforcement by Trump, as well as raising the salary to $90,000, that will save a lot of American Jobs and stop the wage deflation for our high tech workers. I always like Darrell Issa, so I'm glad to see him trying to help us with this H1B problem and also appreciate the tech companies raising the wage to limit the number.
    Thanks for making this article a bit clearer with your explanation Judy. I understand it a little better now. It is a bit confusing of an article, I will admit.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Judy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 6 Million Dollar Man View Post
    Thanks for making this article a bit clearer with your explanation Judy. I understand it a little better now. It is a bit confusing of an article, I will admit.
    Yeah, it is confusing. But that's how I have deciphered it, and if that's what it does, then this is a good bill. Nice to see the tech companies on our side for a change.
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  8. #8
    Senior Member Judy's Avatar
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    PS: Thank you 6 Million Dollar Man for finding and posting this article. It's an important subject and nice to see Issa and the tech companies working to improve it to our advantage.

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  9. #9
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    I'm still hoping H-1B Visas will be reduced to 0. We don't need any of these people with so many Americans with IT degrees who can't find a job in the industry.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Judy's Avatar
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    Yes, me too. I would even be happy with a 50% reduction. I see where there could be a unique skilled person out there that our companies want to hire in a specialized field, and I personally have no problem with that. But, the limits of the law must be that this person does not replace an American Worker nor has any adverse impact on wages and salaries of Americans. It must be a valuable addition, not a replacement or a competitor of our workers and professionals. It sounds like from your article that Trump understands this and is bringing the hammer down to enforce H1B restrictions. The existing restrictions are pretty good, but Bush and Obama let these companies cheat to high heaven. I'm glad to see our US Department of Labor doing their job.
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