WASHINGTON POST: TIME TO ACT ON H-1B CAP CRISIS

Another major editorial, this time from the Washington Post, endorses the need for more H-1B visas:

If nothing changes, America will miss out on another crop of talent this year.

H-1B visas are reserved for the world's best and brightest, and barring their entry is economic self-sabotage. The cap keeps out doctors, engineers and other specialists -- people who save lives and often create jobs for others in America. One need only look at the national origins of founders of companies such as Google and Sun Microsystems to realize that foreign talent has helped keep the U.S. economy on the cutting edge. These are talents the United States has been struggling to grow at home, given that more than a third of all science and engineering doctorates awarded in the United States go to foreign students (for whom the number of visas is not capped), according to the National Science Foundation.

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The H-1B visa cap was set well before the tech boom and so does not reflect current needs.

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Because lawmakers lack the political will to keep the world's talent in America, companies are following it overseas, setting up shop in Canada, India, Eastern Europe and other areas where the skills they need are plentiful. As a result, investment and jobs are being shipped abroad. As Bill Gates testified this month, the jobs created by the A-earning foreign students who did not remain in the United States will now go to the "B and C students" surrounding them at home in India rather than to their American counterparts.

Comments

[Legal and no longer waiting]

Wow, people here have a lot of time to waste. Keep on.

[b]

JoeF let me take you beyond denial. You still have tantrums not because you consider someone else is too important but because you thing you are too important. Its a ego thing.

[b]

JoeF, denial is usually quite common. So how is that bill for the undocumented coming along? Or you think they deserve what they get because its their decision to come here illegally?

[JoeF]

b: You are not important enough to have a tantrum about...
I reserve my tantrums for life-and-death issues, not for your little petty stuff...

[b]

"Now get lost."

Temper, temper. Dear child. Stop with the tantrums. Feeling better yet.

I know you are immature but stupid too? Is that why you are a wanna be rocket scientist? It took you all these time to just learn that I am "anti" the final CIR that came out the last time. I am sure with your wanna be rocket scientist brain you did not understand my reasoning.

We can talk when you are done with your tantrum.

[JoeF]

b: Thanks for confirming that you are an anti.
Now get lost.

[Ren]

"You may wish that, but it is rather unlikely to happen, no matter how often you repeat it. That's the difference between being delusional and being rational."

I agree it is rather unlikely to happen. There may very well be a raise in the cap from 65 to 130K, with all the big-wigs behind it, it may happen real soon.

But, that does not make it right. If majority of you all bright souls think its great, then it may very well be. Here is my baton, go run with it. Adios!!

[b]

"The antis are also delusional, just in a different way..."

You mean kinda like JoeF Einstein to expect support for a CIR that actually harms.

[Kalyan]

"In all my postings, I have constantly maintained that EB issues have to be solved "before" a larger cap increase for H1-B's."

Why do you pick and choose Ren's comments? He later categorically said simultaneously is great as well. It is fair to say that lot of EB folks especially from India and China are getting raped by these stupid policies. Inviting more folks from the same countries (which most likely would be the case if a larger H1 cap is allowed), you are choking the existing ones as well as the new ones.

BTW, are you Joe and LNW implying that raise the cap now, let it go through and we can deal with the EB problems later? In all your ramblings, you have not stated the reasoning for your support.

[JoeF]

"In all my postings, I have constantly maintained that EB issues have to be solved "before" a larger cap increase for H1-B's."

You may wish that, but it is rather unlikely to happen, no matter how often you repeat it. That's the difference between being delusional and being rational.
The antis are also delusional, just in a different way, as Roy so nicely demonstrated.

[b]

"so chill or STFU"
Sounds a bit rude to me. Let everyone speak. We are just blogging. Take it easy.

[Kalyan]

"Ha? I thought "forwarned is forearmed" was the saying. If you know that someone is out to get you, your conclusion should be to find the full arsenal of things that can be used to protect you - NOT to start bending over backwards."

Dude, I do not want to get in between you and Ren but this sentence makes no sense. Ren's argument has some substance in it where his idea is to address the existing problem before you go and compound it. What you said above seems like you are on a high today, so chill or STFU.

[Legal and no longer waiting]

"You should have straight out asked the question rather than dumping your brain."

Well, I did that twice already, and all I got back was two piles of whiny goo. No need for a third one, thanks.

[hmm]

I personally think CIR is a bad idea, where by CIR I mean a comprehensive change in the US immigration system. There are lot of things that work; no need to change those. The truth is that there is no agreement among US political establishment on immigration issues, and in such situation one should move piecemeal making sure that every change is reverseable and its impact is carefully analysed.

Making a major revolutionary change seems crazy to me. It is pretty much like if you are living with a girl and are not really sure where your relationship would be next year, and then you two suddenly decide to have a baby.

[Ren]

"Ren, I asked you simple question, and you wrote back a pile of whiny goo."

Geez, who are you?

You should have straight out asked the question rather than dumping your brain.

[Legal and no longer waiting]

"Now, thats exactly what I call 'selfish', make merry while screw more people on the way. If you want to give into such desires and satisfy their palates by bending over backwards, be my guest. "

Ha? I thought "forwarned is forearmed" was the saying. If you know that someone is out to get you, your conclusion should be to find the full arsenal of things that can be used to protect you - NOT to start bending over backwards. I however will not hold it against you as we may have different interpretations due to our respective cultures.

Ren, I asked you simple question, and you wrote back a pile of whiny goo.

[R. Lawson]

Perhaps the Washington Post should mention that Melinda Gates - the wife of pro H-1b activist and billionaire Bill Gates - is on the board of directors of the Washington Post.

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=62487&p=irol-govHistDirectors

Talk about a hidden agenda!

[b]

"you must be secret member of NumebrsUSA."

Yup, you caught me. I am Bond, James Bond. Or just b for short.

You should turn off your reality-distortion field. Yup its that green button. If I remember, lot of EB folks (now don't stick a brown skin sticker on it and spiting on us) started out cheering for CIR and finally when it was delivered ended up running scared. Hint: Not because they dislike the undocumented or the "Mexican roofer". I guess you think these EB folks just hate themselves to not take a CIR that made their life "better". Maybe the brown skin lowers their self-esteem. You think?

[Ren]

"You can blame corporations as much as you want for not caring about EB legislation, but the last time I checked, corporations are in the business of making money, and not in the bussiness of caring for the lifes and feelings of immigrants."

Now, thats exactly what I call 'selfish', make merry while screw more people on the way. If you want to give into such desires and satisfy their palates by bending over backwards, be my guest. That ain't me. And, if you call that getting REAL, I would rather stay in hibernation.

And, it seems like you are 'legal' and 'no longer waiting', so you would not probably see the pain. We have our differences, lets leave at that.

And, to answer you question about the H1-B issue itself, go ahead raise it but bring in some reforms for the individual to make his dual-intent portable, not just his job (OR) just take the dual-intent provision completely off. Make your intentions clear and let their be clarity, no half-ass props. If they go the second route, and ask all H1-B's to leave after six years, I would love to take the route home. At least in the second case, they are sincere about being selfish.

[Legal and no longer waiting]

"Now, you ask I should support this CIR because it makes legal employment based immigration worse? Something is missing? "

Yes, I believe so. CIR increased the number of EB visas and excluded spouses from counting against the quota. And I believe you have been told that a few times already, including being told about it by Greg. If that means "worse" in your book, you must be secret member of NumebrsUSA.

[Legal and no longer waiting]

"In all my postings, I have constantly maintained that EB issues have to be solved "before" a larger cap increase for H1-B's. "

In your dreams - yes. What is on the table is stand alone legislation that will increase the H1 numbers. Can think in REAL LIFE terms - just for once? Are you for it or against it? It's a very simple question.

You can blame corporations as much as you want for not caring about EB legislation, but the last time I checked, corporations are in the business of making money, and not in the bussiness of caring for the lifes and feelings of immigrants. You either understand this and work with real life businesses that need real life workers by using your knowledge of what they really want - or you curl up in a fetal position and cry about real life not being the same as your dream life.

I think it's about time you grow up.

[b]

"Is someone introducing common sense into the debate?"

Common sense? Whats that? We are caught between "evil" corporations and "Mother Teresas".

[George Chell]

Let this be a warning to all the clowns who claim that higher wages would solve the shortage problem..higher wages means higher expenses which mean higher prices..higher prices mean the consumers wont buy analagous to what these truck drivers say..higher fuel prices mean higher product prices but they cannot increase prices because of competition and consumers wont pay...end of story..so all that lies we Americans tell that we are willing to pay higher prices are just that..plain lies...I will tell you the truth..I will not fly an American air carrier internationally unless the tickets are far cheaper than a foreign carrier..why? the service is poor in the American carrier..Two months from now, I might fly an American carrier to Asia because it is far cheaper than the competing foreign carrier!

http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/27/news/economy/diesel_impact/index.htm?postversion=2008032712

[R. Lawson]

"A sentiment expressed by Ren, that corporations and politicians are thinking short-term: That increasing a dual-intent visa H1B without long term plan to address retention of high-tech workers in the country is just short sighted, if we are talking about American competitiveness in Science and Technology. "

Is someone introducing common sense into the debate?

Tech firms don't really care if the IT hub of the world is Bangalore or Silon Valley. They don't make decisions based on loyalty to one country or another. Perhaps the "American Competiveness Argument" is simply a tool to support their real agenda, which labor arbitrage.

[Ren]

And, b's interpretation of short-sightedness sums my thoughts up. I could not have written it any better than he did. Thanks.