Firing U.S. workers and keeping H1-B visa foreign workers

The federal government has found companies who have fired U.S. workers and keep H1-B foreign workers. An IT firm in N.J. has been indicted on visa related fraud charges. It appears that the senate has approved stricter rules on hiring H-1B workers.

According to arrest records in six states, the companies involved were firing qualified U.S. workers and replacing them with H1-B visa workers. The fraud related to H-1B visa has deprived many U.S. citizens of employment. In January 2009 the number of workers employed in the H-1B visa program exceeded 241,000 unemployed U.S. citizens in the same occupation. Essentially,these companies were giving our U.S jobs to foreign workers.

According to statics, the number of technology jobs were down 200,000. Currently the cap of 1-B visa is 85,000 visa annually. The company in N.J. only hired foreign workers to fill I.T. jobs which resulted in lost wages and benefits for thousand of U.S. citizens.

My opinion is, any program that encourages moving or displacing U.S. workers should be limited. The drive for profits seems to lead to some form of corruption even if it means hurting U.S. workers.

Immigration and H-1B vista

Immigration and H-1B visa program for Foreign workers has always been a double edge sword. The dig and cut involves companies hiring foreign workers via H-1B while laying of U.S workers.





In this economic recession, there has been talk of the government making it more difficult to hire foreign nationals to increase the hiring of U.S. workers. Many companies claim, there are not enough qualified U.S. works to fill certain job vacancy. This is the key component that needs verification.



The H-1B Visa program allow2 65,000 foreign nationals with skillS not easily found within the U.S. and 20,000 exceptions for graduateS from U.S universities. Companies who have received Trouble Assets Relief Program (T.A.R.P) who have more than 15% of their staffs on Visas; would have to prove they have tried to recruit U.S. workers. The problem with this, there is a lot of fraud related to recruiting U.S. workers.




During this recession, some U.S. High-tech companies are laying of U.S. workers. but are not cutting H1-B visa holders. There definitely should be some restrictions to hiring H1-B visa holders while companies are laying off U.S. workers.




Much of the contention U.S. I.T. workers have is, companies will hire H1-B visa holders even when you have a qualified U.S. worker available. I believe exemptions for U.S. University graduate is O.K., as many foreign students come to the U.S. to study and then work for U.S. companies.

We need a stronger policy that improves hiring of U.S. workers, H1-B visa holders, and limits out sourcing of U.S. jobs.