I had been reading that we were giving out more H-1B visas than at anytime before. While I am unable to find the source document listing the number of worker visas– of which there are numerous types, this particular H-1B stands out. Ten Billion in contracts for American workers from India? The immigration and Nationality act passed in the ’90′s spawned the H-1B visa. U.S. firms can import “temporary” foreign workers for high skilled jobs such as those in the science and engineering fields. The idea was that to remain competitive, companies could import these foreign workers when Americans could not be found for the jobs. That was the idea.
To give you an idea of the scale of visa abuse, Microsoft laid off 5,800 American workers in the last two years. During that same time period they also received 2,355 H-1B visas. They no doubt saved a bundle. Microsoft is not alone. They are just an example.
The high-tech industry in the United States “lost” 245,000 jobs last year. At the same time, more than 100,000 H-1B visas were issued. The same government that issued these visas are the same ones that cannot find money for a Tier 5 extension. They borrowed nearly $900 billion to “stimulate” an economy. The economy remains in shambles. This is the same government that champions amnesty, with accompanying chain migration. This is the same government that despite the aforementioned failures, continue to issue foreign work visas hand over fist.
So America is being hit from all sides. High skilled labor is shipped in, and low skill labor just walks in. Caught in the middle is the American worker, not wanted by American companies (or those posing as American companies), or the American government for that matter.
The H-1B visa typically lasts three years, although it can be extended to six. If a company wishes to sponsor the imported worker for permanent residence, the visa can be extended indefinitely. Even those that come over on student visas can land an H-1B visa and potentially remain in the United States indefinitely.
The former Commerce Minster of India, Kamal Nath, has dubbed the H-1B visa the “outsourcing visa.” What he meant was that companies import cheap labor, not to compliment the American workforce, but to replace it. Once these worker s have been trained in the United States, they return to their native countries, and take the jobs they had in the United States with them. In other words, the jobs were never intended for Americans. .
BUNKERVILLE | God, Guns and Guts Comrades! 