GAO, DOJ seek H-1B visa reforms

[Newsjock]

Source: Computerworld

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a major report Friday on the H-1B program that assesses the visa program's use and recommends reforms.

The GAO's report (PDF document) -- one of its most exhaustive studies on the H-1B program by the U.S. in recent years -- sliced and diced data from various agencies about H-1B use, to offer a portrait by country and job skill.

... One recommendation calls for creation of a centralized Web site where businesses would be required to post notice of their intent to hire H-1B workers.

This recommendation was endorsed by the DOJ. Leon Rodriguez, the chief of staff of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, wrote in a letter included in the report, that the Web site "would help U.S. workers determine if they have been impermissibly replaced by H-1B visa holders and identify employers who may be engaged in a pattern of discrimination against U.S. workers."

But the DOJ went beyond the GAO's recommendations and made one of the own. It said that all employers, before they hire an H-1B holder, "should be required to 'test' the labor market to determine whether qualified U.S. workers are available and to hire any equally or better qualified U.S. workers who apply."

Read more: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9205204/GAO_DOJ_seek_H_1B_visa_reforms

[FreakinDJ]

1. H1B - the Most Abused Visa program in America

[musette_sf]

2. K to the R

to the w00t!

:woohoo:

[gateley]

3. Excellent! I never understand how "they" stand by and let this crap happen, but

apparently things are going on behind the scenes that we're not privy to. Thanks DOJ and GAO! It's only fair.

[MH1]

4. I'd go much further

Federal government should set up a training fund and the companies should be required to train an American worker for every H1B they hire.

These companies would start finding 'qualified' Americans if something like that were implemented.

[Wilms]

5. I'll bet we have the talent here already.

But paying a middle-class salary to these American engineers is waaaay too quaint a notion.

[LiberalEsto]

6. And what are the loopholes?

Companies have been abusing the H1-B visa program from the get-go. They'll post fake job advertisements to make it look like they've complied with existing laws, tell American-sounding applicants that the position is already filled, or change the job description so they can go out and hire people for a lower salary. There is no shortage of loopholes. In any new legislation, I want to see those loopholes firmly closed.

[Statistical]

7. Another fun one is made up job requirements.

They will add foreign language or foreign life experiences as requirements.

Strangely there aren't many American programs who can say they speak fluent Hindi and have lived 10+ years in a foreign country.
Ooops they can't find qualified worker guess they qualify for an H1B.

I got a simple and easy way to end H1B abuse. Unlimited H1B VISA with on exception. H1B workers are paid 200% of prevailing wage and Dept of Labor is paid a compliance fee of another 100% of prevailing wage. Prevailing wage is set by Dept of Labor. Overnight demand for H1B would drop to a tiny fraction. They would be used only when a company truly can't find a qualified individual.