Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced a bill in March that would protect American workers from H-1B abuses. H-1B visas permit workers -- greatly from India -- to come to the U.S. for a limited term. Mostly, they work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics jobs -- but NOT at the top levels. These are mid- to lower-level skills jobs. The effect is to lower the overall pay level of American-born workers in tech jobs. American engineers say that U.S. companies which push for the country to permit more H-1Bs to enter base their arguments on a falsehood: that there is a shortage of U.S. engineers. In fact, say American engineers, the companies are using the program to hold tech wages down, thus ballooning profits, stock prices, and top executive pay.
Grassley's bill would require companies to make a good faith effort to hire Americans first; prohibit employers from advertising jobs only to H-1B visa holders, and help the U.S. government crack down on H-1B abuses.
San Diego-based Qualcomm is one of the largest users of H-1B employees. Company executives have advocated that the nation permit more H-1B visas. Companies such as Wal-Mart are increasingly using H-1B workers for lower level information technology jobs.
Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced a bill in March that would protect American workers from H-1B abuses. H-1B visas permit workers -- greatly from India -- to come to the U.S. for a limited term. Mostly, they work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics jobs -- but NOT at the top levels. These are mid- to lower-level skills jobs. The effect is to lower the overall pay level of American-born workers in tech jobs. American engineers say that U.S. companies which push for the country to permit more H-1Bs to enter base their arguments on a falsehood: that there is a shortage of U.S. engineers. In fact, say American engineers, the companies are using the program to hold tech wages down, thus ballooning profits, stock prices, and top executive pay.
Grassley's bill would require companies to make a good faith effort to hire Americans first; prohibit employers from advertising jobs only to H-1B visa holders, and help the U.S. government crack down on H-1B abuses.
San Diego-based Qualcomm is one of the largest users of H-1B employees. Company executives have advocated that the nation permit more H-1B visas. Companies such as Wal-Mart are increasingly using H-1B workers for lower level information technology jobs.