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Reader comment on:
Desperately Seeking Visas

Submitted by Kim Berry, Jan 2, 2008 16:21

As "former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Labor", Ms. Furchtgott-Roth certainly knows that DOL is knowingly rubber-stamping labor condition applications for H-1b, regardless of whether Americans are available to fill the jobs. She certainly must know that seven of the top 10 users of H-1b are Indian bodyshops. These firms, such as INFOSYS and TATA, openly boast that their competitive advantage is that they pay 25% below what they would have to pay American workers. These firms alone flood in thousands of workers each year, displacing that many Americans, and U.S. consulting firms, out of business.

Comparison of 150,000 H-1b to the entire 150 million US. workforce is irrelvant, as she certainly know s that H-1b are concentrated in the professional tech sector, which has been flat about about 3.6 million jobs for the past decade. Flooding in 450,000 into a 3.6 million sector WOULD displace over 10% of the U.S. workers during that period.

Each year DOL refuses to disclose the list of openings for H-1b workers for several months, in essense reserving 85,000 U.S. jobs exclusively for foreign workers, rather than making any effort to match Americans to this jobs.


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Other reader comments on this article

Comment By Date

GuildY/ ZazonY wrote: "Alan Greenspan, March 2007
"If we open up a significant window for skilled workers, that would suppress the... [MORE]

suppress TOP EARNER wages 

Jan 30, 2008 12:57

Asking the Department of Labor to regulate the number of visas and green cards to issue is like asking a... [MORE]

No visa for you 

Jan 15, 2008 02:30

GuildY/ ZazonY wrote: "Alan Greenspan, March 2007
"If we open up a significant window for skilled workers, that would suppress the... [MORE]

Little empirical evidence! 

Jan 8, 2008 17:57

Kathy Robertson: "When there are millions of Americans out of work due to outsourcing, why do we need to bring... [MORE]

Data 

Jan 7, 2008 12:17

S. Kolger wrote: "every other type of white-collar jobs stop getting offshored to India"

(1) New H-1Bs account for .07% of... [MORE]

Data 

Jan 7, 2008 12:13

The people who are finding rising wages and full employment in the IT sector are definitely moving in different social... [MORE]

S. Kolger 

Jan 5, 2008 09:46

Kim Berry (President, Programmers Guild) wrote: " ..."

IEEE USA is IEEE's policy wing, supported mainly by annual assessment paid by... [MORE]

IEEE USA's Proposal 

Jan 4, 2008 12:10

GuildY/ ZazonY wrote: "Alan Greenspan, March 2007
"If we open up a significant window for skilled workers, that would suppress the... [MORE]

Really! 

Jan 4, 2008 12:04

H1-B petitions approved vs H1-B workers
-------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) From How many H-1B visa workers? Counts vary VALLEY EMPLOYERS AMONG TOP USERS By... [MORE]

Never Mind! 

Jan 4, 2008 10:24

Kathy Robertson wrote: "When there are millions of Americans out of work"

The unemployment rate in IT sector is a whopping... [MORE]

Just Do It! 

Jan 4, 2008 10:10

It is well known within the tech industry that the primary reason that companies are so much in love with... [MORE]

Clearing Smoke Bombs 

Jan 3, 2008 20:36

Kathy Robertson: "Companies are LYING about a shortage because they want to bring in cheap labor"

Repeat something loud and long... [MORE]

Rhetorical Rhapsody 

Jan 3, 2008 18:27

Kathy Robertson: "Companies are LYING about a shortage because they want to bring in cheap labor"

A Dec 2005 Center for... [MORE]

Dis Information 

Jan 3, 2008 18:23

S. Kolger wrote: "when American workers are no longer required to train their H-1B replacements"

(1) From The Grassley Visa Tax... [MORE]

Train H-1B Replacement? 

Jan 3, 2008 10:19

Bruce de la Vega wrote: "B. Lindsay Lowell and Harold Salzman at the Urban Institute that the USA is over-flowing... [MORE]

Caveat 

Jan 3, 2008 10:06

Your article is well spiced because you hit the hammer on the nail.thanks [MORE]

moradeyo afeez 

Jan 3, 2008 03:22

Background: U.S. STEM Workforce Shows No Sign of Impending Shortages

http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB1505/index1.html

"The pool of S&E-qualified secondary and postsecondary graduates is several times... [MORE]

Dana Rothrock 

Jan 2, 2008 19:01

As "former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Labor", Ms. Furchtgott-Roth certainly knows that DOL is knowingly rubber-stamping labor...

Kim Berry 

Jan 2, 2008 16:21

"Allowing the Labor Department to adjust legal immigration every quarter to match U.S. need for foreign labor would help America... [MORE]

Bruce de la Vega 

Jan 2, 2008 13:40

"labor certification from the Labor Department... requires the prospective employer to affirm that he has determined that no American workers... [MORE]

Bruce de la Vega 

Jan 2, 2008 13:29

It boils down to this: WE CANNOT TRUST THE GOVERNMENT TO ENFORCE THE LAW OR TO EXERCISE DISCRETION IN A... [MORE]

TheReallyRightGuy 

Jan 2, 2008 12:52

I hate the arcane nature of bureacracy and public policy. However, because we need to protect our sovereignty and regulate... [MORE]

Ken 

Jan 2, 2008 16:38

There is a principle of economics that, in a free market (which we do NOT have) there can be neither... [MORE]

Bruce de la Vega 

Jan 2, 2008 18:05

This is fine as far as you have gone. However...

Let's give the Department of Labor more lattitude. Perhaps they could... [MORE]

Rev. Stephen M. King 

Jan 2, 2008 12:28

When there are millions of Americans out of work due to outsourcing, why do we need to bring in temporary... [MORE]

Kathy Robertson 

Jan 2, 2008 09:16

If you listen to the CEO/CFO/HR people at the large companies looking to import workers a half way intelligent person... [MORE]

Gene 

Jan 2, 2008 13:41

Instead of a well thought-out analysis of the issues, we get a rehash of all of the old arguments Big... [MORE]

S. Kolger 

Jan 2, 2008 08:39

The writer of this article does not seem to be much of a believer in Democracy. She wants to take... [MORE]

Voter 

Jan 2, 2008 07:22

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