Lawmakers move to raise caps, fees on high-tech visas

[Robert Oak]

The government would issue 30,000 more visas to high-tech and other skilled foreign workers each year and increase fees for those visas to help trim the budget deficit under a measure proposed by a Senate committee.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/northern_california/12954190.htm


This is disgusting. It's been well documented that H-1B is being used for labor arbitrage and American engineers have a disporportionately high unemployment rate. Since 2001 only 3,000 high tech jobs have been added, mainly due to this insourcing through abuse of the US VISA system and outsourcing.

Believe it or not, Sen. Kennedy co-authored this idea, that's right our Senator who was out of the floor arguing for increasing the minimum wage has no problem in selling high tech American workers down the river.

Only Feinstein stood up but still compromised.

[napi21]

1. What are they increasing the fee to? I tried the link, and although

it's free, you have to sign up for free emal and news letter junk. I just tried to get rid of all that crap, soooo.

How much are they planning to charge for an H1B?

I know the Co. I worked for tried to force me to hire several UAE programmers "because they were cheap!"

If they're planning to increase the fee high enough, this might not be a real bad thing!

[Robert Oak]

2. come on

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20051020-1348-ca-high-techvisas.html

500 dollars, it's absurd. no comparison in terms of labor arbitrage
from a displaced American @ 80k versus 32k that is not taxed.

Our congress, including Dems,clearly represent corporations and don't
give a rats ass about the middle class.

Here, look at the math on fees versus one displaced American, no comparison:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/10/16/165748/95

[napi21]

3. I'm with you on this! I was just asking what they were increasing the fee

to! I know the one guy our Co. sponsored cost a lot more than $500 because the Co paid for his visa fees, sponsor letter, and travel.

All I meant was that if the H1B Visa fees were increased to $25,000, I think it would make Co's think first before jumping for the cheap way out.

It still wouldn't make up for the wide salary gap, but it would put an additional question in the Co's mind, because they are also aware that a lot of problems come with these sight unseen employees!

[Robert Oak]

4. it's a lie

I am like why bother, why not present a big "fuck you" to the middle class and call it what it is.

I mean come on 750 dollars per VISA to balance the budget?

Amazingly enough I'm going to assumme the spin machine has actually run out of lies to say something so lame.

Hello, 750 bucks versus 22k in taxes each year.

It's a no brainer on this and even more despairing is how
we have Democrats over and over selling us out..
which means there is no party that is for the middle class!

It's no wonder the Republicans win with this sort of crap.

[endarkenment]

6. There is no middle class.

We are wll working families. The myth of a middle class is used to help delude us into thinking that we do not have the same issues and values as blue collar workers, as wal mart greeters, as the low-wage import working cleaning your middle-class worker high tech building.

It is the War on Working Families and they will not be finished screwing us until our wages are equivalent in purchasing power to the high tech worker in shanghai.

[endarkenment]

5. More corrupt crony capitalism in our little kleptocracy. I'm shocked.

This bullshit has been going on for years through Republican and Democratic controlled congresses. F*ck the working families, the rich need to get richer!