2008 H-1B VISA Limit Increase Sought

No surprise! Our government seems again poised to increase the number of H-1B Visas issues to allow additional technology workers into the country. And, I posit that "our" government does not represent the will of the people on this matter (which is the norm these days), but rather the will of the few rich and powerful that run this country. And, it seems Democrats and Republicans alike will push the same agenda to dilute technology-worker pay and job-availability, since this is what corporate America is telling them to do.

I just read a blog over at ComputerWorld that discussed the mad dash to raise the limit, even though facts such as the following were presented (with few true listeners) to help defend keeping the limit where it stands now:

"The IEEE-USA was once more direct about the impact of the H-1B visa: In 2004, when the [VISA] cap was scaled back to 65,000 the IEEE-USA pointed out: The number of unemployed U.S. high-tech professionals dropped sharply from the first quarter of 2004 to the third quarter. The decline mirrors the reinstatement of the H-1B visa cap to its historical level of 65,000 in Fiscal Year 2004 from 195,000 in FY 03."

Gee, and I thought our own government would welcome lower unemployment, additional tax-income, and less costs associated with people being out of work. What could make them ignore these basic facts? (I think we all know)

There is an established, observable, and measurable cause-effect relation between the allowed H1B VISA limits and unemployment among our own (United States) Information Technology workers. When H1-B Visas are reduced, unemployment amount technology professionals drops. You think this would be a GOOD thing?! Keep in mind, in theory, H1-B Visas exist ONLY for filling jobs that there are no available and qualified workers for already here in the United States.

So, it is QUITE OBVIOUS that employers are abusing that section of the law, since unemployment swings based on how many of the foreign workers they are allowed to import. Sure, they can argue that in the absence of their ideally qualified candidates, they had to resort to hiring lesser-qualified USA candidates instead. If that is the case, I want some people to start coming forward, in front of all their employees, and telling them how they feel the work being done by their current employees just can not rival that which an H1B VISA candidate could have done in their place.

Fact is, this is all about money (especially corporate greed). If existing IT people here have the "luxury" of finding jobs, and/or keeping their wages up, that is seen as a bad thing by corporate America, since IT is most often looked at as a "cost center" (like most employees in general are viewed these days). Management (especially senior levels) in the United States is generally lame, unimaginative, uninspiring, and just plain simple. They fear having to actually do anything to generate profits - other than lobby the government to protect their interests.

It's only a very few (at the top) that are currently "allowed" the luxury of income protection it seems - in fact, if you examine the disparity between the rate of pay increases for senior executives versus that of the typical worker, you'll quickly conclude that income protection is just the tip: instead, income mega-explosion is the reality at the very top. And, trust me, if the corporate leaders pushing for H1B expansion get their way, they'll also be taking home extra bonuses and patting themselves on the back for finding another quick way to increase their profits (while laying off existing US workers).

Heck, just look at all the mega-million dollar "retention incentives" given to the losers running Citigroup and other banks' earnings into the ground while the average worker will be canned, and the average investor has lost their shirt. Let's up the number of H1-EXEC VISAS and start lowering their cost, since the rest of us (especially stockholders) would certainly like to reap the cost-benefits of such a move!

These same losers that get their mega-million-dollar bonuses even when the companies they run lose money like a sieve, also want to get cheaper labor into the USA no matter what, since this is their only way to quickly realize any cost savings. This is certainly a much easier strategy than figuring out 1) what you as a company offer your clients that is unique and of value, 2) how to leverage your people and make them true assets, instead of just saying they, are while really considering them nothing more than numbers, "overhead", or cost-centers, and 3) facing the prospect of being discovered, found out, and uncloaked for what little "management" abilities you really have while getting paid like you are god's gift to the board-rooms of America.

Word is, that the 2008 technology H1-b VISA cap is going to be raised no matter what this year again, and probably for 2009 as well. Congress does NOT represent the people of this country, aside for a FEW that can exploit them for massive profits. We're facing a recession, and their are bound to be plenty of soon-available IT workers on the market for anyone that needs them. But, will that fact stop the importation of more workers? Of course not. Dilution will continue, and the assault on America's middle-class will only increase.

Even if you are not in Information Technology, be concerned. Fact is, we (the United States) are very much tied up in what I will call a "race to the bottom" with regards to cost-lowering initiatives, all in the name of "global competition". Well, the fact is simple: if you are at the top, you only have one place to go if you want to compete (especially on price, since quality is generally out of the equation now)... and that is DOWN!

Wages will drop, especially if you consider the purchasing power of the dollar. They have to. They are already. They will continue to. We can't "compete" otherwise (oh, wait,... I'm starting to sound like the CEOs running all these companies now!). I'm all for competing, but I'm definitely against competing solely for the sake of inflating the bonuses of already extremely overpaid losers running the show in this country. There are plenty of skilled managers that could do a better job, and do so for much less. So, you want competition? Let's start some real competition for those CEO and upper-management gigs. Doubt that'll happen.