My husband is not an IT worker, though my bro is and he's never been unemployed and has a great job now, very high paying, from the looks of his house and car. But I will go on real info rather than anecdotal info re random relatives.
Real info:
8 USC Section 1101(a)(15)(H)
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode08/usc_sec_08_00001101----000-.html(15) The term “immigrant” means every alien except an alien who is within one of the following classes of nonimmigrant aliens—
(H) an alien (i) <(a) Repealed. Pub. L. 106–95, § 2(c), Nov. 12, 1999, 113 Stat. 1316> (b) subject to section 1182 (j)(2) of this title, who is coming temporarily to the United States to perform services (other than services described in subclause (a) during the period in which such subclause applies and other than services described in subclause (ii)(a) or in subparagraph (O) or (P))
in a specialty occupation described in section 1184 (i)(1) of this title or as a fashion model, who meets the requirements for the occupation specified in section 1184 (i)(2) of this title or, in the case of a fashion model, is of distinguished merit and ability, and with respect to whom the Secretary of Labor determines and certifies to the Attorney General that the intending employer has filed with the Secretary an application under section 1182 (n)(1) of this title, or (b1) who is entitled to enter the United States under and in pursuance of the provisions of an agreement listed in section 1184 (g)(8)(A) of this title, who is engaged in a specialty occupation described in section 1184 (i)(3) of this title, and with respect to whom the Secretary of Labor determines and certifies to the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State that the intending employer has filed with the Secretary of Labor an attestation under section 1182 (t)(1) of this title, or (c) who is coming temporarily to the United States to perform services as a registered nurse, who meets the qualifications described in section 1182 (m)(1) of this title, and with respect to whom the Secretary of Labor determines and certifies to the Attorney General that an unexpired attestation is on file and in effect under section 1182 (m)(2) of this title for the facility (as defined in section 1182 (m)(6) of this title) for which the alien will perform the services; or (ii)(a) having a residence in a foreign country which he has no intention of abandoning who is coming temporarily to the United States to perform agricultural labor or services, as defined by the Secretary of Labor in regulations and including agricultural labor defined in section 3121 (g) of title 26, agriculture as defined in section 203 (f) of title 29, and the pressing of apples for cider on a farm, of a temporary or seasonal nature, or (b) having a residence in a foreign country which he has no intention of abandoning who is coming temporarily to the United States to perform other temporary service or labor if unemployed persons capable of performing such service or labor cannot be found in this country, but this clause shall not apply to graduates of medical schools coming to the United States to perform services as members of the medical profession; or (iii) having a residence in a foreign country which he has no intention of abandoning who is coming temporarily to the United States as a trainee, other than to receive graduate medical education or training, in a training program that is not designed primarily to provide productive employment; and the alien spouse and minor children of any such alien specified in this paragraph if accompanying him or following to join him;
8 CFR Section 214.2(h)
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgiSec. 214.2 Special requirements for admission, extension, and
maintenance of status.
(h) Temporary employees--(1) Admission of temporary employees-
Specialty occupation means an occupation which requires theoretical
and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge in
fields of human endeavor including, but not limited to, architecture,
engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, social sciences, medicine
and health, education, business specialties, accounting, law, theology,
and the arts, and which requires the attainment of a bachelor's degree
or higher in a specific specialty, or its equivalent, as a minimum for
entry into the occupation in the United States.
(A) Standards for specialty occupation position. To qualify as a
specialty occupation, the position must meet one of the following
criteria:
(1) A baccalaureate or higher degree or its equivalent is normally
the minimum requirement for entry into the particular position;
(2) The degree requirement is common to the industry in parallel
positions among similar organizations or, in the alternative, an
employer may show that its particular position is so complex or unique
that it can be performed only by an individual with a degree;
(3) The employer normally requires a degree or its equivalent for
the position; or
(4) The nature of the specific duties are so specialized and complex
that knowledge required to perform the duties is usually associated with
the attainment of a baccalaureate or higher degree.
<[Page 301>]
(B) Petitioner requirements. The petitioner shall submit the
following with an H-1B petition involving a specialty occupation:
(1) A certification from the Secretary of Labor that the petitioner
has filed a labor condition application with the Secretary, (2) A statement that it will comply with the terms of the labor
condition application for the duration of the alien's authorized period
of stay,
(3) Evidence that the alien qualifies to perform services in the
specialty occupation as described in paragraph (h)(4)(iii)(A) of this
section, and
(C) Beneficiary qualifications. To qualify to perform services in a
specialty occupation, the alien must meet one of the following criteria:
(1) Hold a United States baccalaureate or higher degree required by
the specialty occupation from an accredited college or university;
(2) Hold a foreign degree determined to be equivalent to a United
States baccalaureate or higher degree required by the specialty
occupation from an accredited college or university;
(3) Hold an unrestricted State license, registration or
certification which authorizes him or her to fully practice the
specialty occupation and be immediately engaged in that specialty in the
state of intended employment; or
(4) Have education, specialized training, and/or progressively
responsible experience that is equivalent to completion of a United
States baccalaureate or higher degree in the specialty occupation, and
have recognition of expertise in the specialty through progressively
responsible positions directly related to the specialty.
20 CFR 655.730
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi(d) What attestations does the LCA contain? An employer's LCA shall
contain the labor condition statements referenced in Sec. Sec. 655.731
through 655.734, and Sec. 655.736 through 655.739 (if applicable),
which provide that no individual may be admitted or provided status as
an H-1B nonimmigrant in an occupational classification unless the
employer has filed with the Secretary an application stating that:
(1) The employer is offering and will offer during the period of
authorized employment to H-1B nonimmigrants no less than the greater of
the following wages (such offer to include benefits and eligibility for
benefits provided as compensation for services, which are to be offered
to the nonimmigrants on the same basis and in accordance with the same
criteria as the employer offers such benefits to U.S. workers):
(i) The actual wage paid to the employer's other employees at the
worksite with similar experience and qualifications for the specific
employment in question; or
(ii) The prevailing wage level for the occupational classification
in the area of intended employment;
(2) The employer will provide working conditions for such
nonimmigrants that will not adversely affect the working conditions of
workers similarly employed (including benefits in the nature of working
conditions, which are to be offered to the nonimmigrants on the same
basis and in accordance with the same criteria as the employer offers
such benefits to U.S. workers);
(3) There is not a strike or lockout in the course of a labor
dispute in the occupational classification at the place of employment;
(4) The employer has provided and will provide notice of the filing
of the labor condition application to:
(i)(A) The bargaining representative of the employer's employees in
the occupational classification in the area of intended employment for
which the H-1B nonimmigrants are sought, in the manner described in
Sec. 655.734(a)(1)(i); or
(B) If there is no such bargaining representative, affected workers
by providing electronic notice of the filing of the LCA or by posting
notice in conspicuous locations at the place(s) of employment, in the
manner described in Sec. 655.734(a)(1)(ii); and That is all hard to read but is the real deal rather than the summarized opinions of H-1B haters. At least be honest. Americans cannot simply limit their own competition and try to drive up their wages that way. Capitalism simply does not work that way. We will never be able to up our value as employees by trying to shut other people out. If your husband didn't have H-1bs to blame, he'd be for increased licensing or limits on the universities or some other way to keep the allegedly hobbling competition out.