Wonderful Article by Bill Gates in Washingtonpost

Decent article. It would have been better if it had said some thing like "It's not in our national interest to employ them here but send them home when they've worked here for 6-8 years on the hope of getting a greencard, otherwise nobody would be seriously interested in this so great H1-B program."
 
I think, Bill Gates spoke lot in this article about EB GC issue

Permanent residency regulations compound this problem. Temporary employees wait five years or longer for a green card. During that time they can't change jobs, which limits their opportunities to contribute to their employer's success and overall economic growth.
-Bill Gates

Reforming the green card program to make it easier to retain highly skilled professionals is also necessary. These employees are vital to U.S. competitiveness, and we should welcome their contribution to U.S. economic growth.
-Bill Gates

Bravo to Bill Gates. I was not agree with some people in this forum and IV forum, who think industry is only pushing H1B. In reality Industry is pushing H1B/EB issue together.

Again, this article will be read by many people including media and lawmaker. The comments regarding the problem of skilled immigrant will help our cause. Please register to washingtonpost (it is free) and post your comment.




indian_gc_ocean said:
Decent article. It would have been better if it had said some thing like "It's not in our national interest to employ them here but send them home when they've worked here for 6-8 years on the hope of getting a greencard, otherwise nobody would be seriously interested in this so great H1-B program."
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Also please look at the comments that people wrote on this article at the bottom.Some very interesting facts about India.
 
I respect the article..but H1s are misused. When market crashed in early 2000...when the quota was around 200,000....what happened....disaster. No jobs...chaos.

So, in a way increasing the H1s...as per Bill is not a good idea.
 
Illegals not Bill Gates

The problem of legals is 2 fold. We pay for a stalemate as time goes by unlike the politicians or illegals.
Legals believe that articles like these will induce action; not true historically!
Illegals have a greater chance of creating some action than Bill Gates

So let's wait and hope and let illegals get us out of this mess....:rolleyes:
 
Yeah...more H1 will just create more problems for those already in the queue for the GC. We used the ladder to get here, now lets just kick it off so nobody else can come in and compete for our jobs. :rolleyes:

labor_replace said:
I respect the article..but H1s are misused. When market crashed in early 2000...when the quota was around 200,000....what happened....disaster. No jobs...chaos.

So, in a way increasing the H1s...as per Bill is not a good idea.
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H1b visas themselves are not the problem. Now the wanton abuse of them by certain consulting firms definitely is an issue that needs to be addressed. The big Tech firms like Intel, Microsoft etc are not unaware of this issue and are not just blindly lobbying for increased H1bs like they did in prior years. They realise only too well, that their access to a valuable talent pool is being eaten up on day 1 of the fiscal year by gluttonous consulting firms which bring folks in on H1b first then look to fill jobs any and everywhere and then perpetuate all sorts of shady practices.
They have already started lobbying for changes to the H1b system in addition to increased numbers. I think that you will find those changes to be part of any quota increase that emerges this time around. Everyone agrees that the big jump to 195K last time was erroneous, and actually has left many previously sympathetic lawmakers gun shy. I can certainly agree that the H1b visa system needs reworking, and some controls introduced into it.
It is encouraging nevertheless that finally after 2 yrs of painful retrogression, we just might this time get some relief. Failure this time and EB India are likely looking at atleast another 2 yrs of this again!
 
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I don't think the EB community will get any relief unless some movement like the one in Britain by doctors.
If somebody wants to give me odds for EB community getting relief before illegals and everybody else in the line and before 2008 elections, i would like to bet against it.
 
Few consultants have misused H1B system doesn't means H1B system is wrong across the board. Some people have misused EB GC system (we know that many people have traded LC and scam was caught by FBI). Does it means that EB GC quota should not increase?

Most of us are entered here with H1B channel and now we oppose H1B increase!! How come we expect 300 million US citizen should not oppose EB GC increase? If we are not convince about H1B, which is part of legal employment based immigration, how come we except US citizens convince about EB GC increase? Anti-immigrant lobby will take benefit and use "Divide
and Rule" weapon!
We are very small community and have zero political motivated push. Without strategical partnership with industry, no one would listen to us. Even though H1B is the baby of Industry, they are pushing EB GC together. We should understand our strength and weaknesses. It is in our benefit to recognize the strategical partnership with industry and support H1B/EB provision jointly.

Please remember, many other people are visiting this forum; pro-immigrant and anti-immigrant.


labor_replace said:
I respect the article..but H1s are misused. When market crashed in early 2000...when the quota was around 200,000....what happened....disaster. No jobs...chaos.

So, in a way increasing the H1s...as per Bill is not a good idea.
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^^^^ Bump Bump^^^

I seen lot of comments posted by anti-immigrants. They almost ruled the comment section. Please every one post your comment in favor of h1B/EB GC immediately. You may need to register to washingtonpost.

Few days from now, one article on CIR was published in Ocregister.com today the reporter have analyzed the comments posted on this articles. Bottom line is comments are very important and get analyzed.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/nationworld/article_1590488.php


khodalmd said:
Bill Gates written wonderful article in Washington post. This will make big difference. Please write comments on this article as lot of people will read this article. It is golden opportunity to convey our issue to many many people. Please post your comments like we post on washingtonwatch.com

Thanks,
Raj

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/23/AR2007022301697.html
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khodalmd said:
^^^^ Bump Bump^^^

I seen lot of comments posted by anti-immigrants. They almost ruled the comment section. Please every one post your comment in favor of h1B/EB GC immediately. You may need to register to washingtonpost.

Few days from now, one article on CIR was published in Ocregister.com today the reporter have analyzed the comments posted on this articles. Bottom line is comments are very important and get analyzed.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/nationworld/article_1590488.php
Click to expand...

After reading all the Washington post comments so far, I actually find them to be very real, supported by statistics. Nobody has personally abused people on H1-B directly but pointed out the loop holes and the corporate taking advantage of the system. Some of the comments like corporate are interested in "youngest and cheapest" not the best and brightest and average H1B salary at Microsoft is 60k-70k when Gates points out that it is 100k are very enlightening.

What more the citizens are supposed to say when their jobs are outsourced and remaining jobs are taken by H1-Bs.

Instead of lobbying for new H1Bs, why can't Gates first support some resolution to clear the immigration mess that has accumulated over the years for the H1s who had been here for a long time. Without this any increase in new H1s would be extremely detrimental to the one who are seeking green card now leave alone citizens. All that corporates want is some temporary rotating workforce without actually helping them towards speedier (3-4 years) permanent residency.

Mr Gates would do great service to the people who are seeking green card if he stops addressing new H1Bs and the permanent residency reforms together. Otherwise all the anger at H1B will be vented against other immigration aspects too.
 
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indian_gc_ocean said:
After reading all the Washington post comments so far, I actually find them to be very real, supported by statistics. Nobody has personally abused people on H1-B directly but pointed out the loop holes and the corporate taking advantage of the system. Some of the comments like corporate are interested in "youngest and cheapest" not the best and brightest and average H1B salary at Microsoft is 60k-70k when Gates points out that it is 100k are very enlightening.

What more the citizens are supposed to say when their jobs are outsourced and remaining jobs are taken by H1-Bs.

Instead of lobbying for new H1Bs, why can't Gates first support some resolution to clear the immigration mess that has accumulated over the years for the H1s who had been here for a long time. Without this any increase in new H1s would be extremely detrimental to the one who are seeking green card now leave alone citizens. All that corporates want is some temporary rotating workforce without actually helping them towards speedier (3-4 years) permanent residency.

Mr Gates would do great service to the people who are seeking green card if he stops addressing new H1Bs and the permanent residency reforms together. Otherwise all the anger at H1B will be vented against other immigration aspects too.
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Why should he? What is in it for him and the corporates? They want committed wokers who will stick to the job for a while for whatever reasons. H1B and the current retregression is perfect for them. What are u r plans on getting a GC? I don't know about you, I'm gonna jump ship. I'm gonna find a job that pays more and am gonna keep doing that every couple of years. I'm gonna become just another american worker and I'll grow older and also start cribbing about how detrimental H1B is too.
 
KMax said:
Why should he? What is in it for him and the corporates? They want committed wokers who will stick to the job for a while for whatever reasons. H1B and the current retregression is perfect for them. What are u r plans on getting a GC? I don't know about you, I'm gonna jump ship. I'm gonna find a job that pays more and am gonna keep doing that every couple of years. I'm gonna become just another american worker and I'll grow older and also start cribbing about how detrimental H1B is too.
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For Microsoft and other big tech companies that offer interesting work and pay well, increased portability of H1 and GC is actually to their benefit, as it makes it easy for them to attract foreign workers who are currently at other companies. Then once hired by Microsoft, Google, Intel, etc. most will stay for a number of years whether they are tied by a GC process or not.

But the other 90% of companies like retrogression and lack of portability, because they can pay less or give lower raises without much worry about people leaving as long as they are tied up in the immigration process.
 
Not all of the work at Microsoft etc. is interesting or interesting enough to keep everyone there. It is more the glamour those resumes on your resume and is more attractive to a newbie than a seasoned professional. After working a couple of years, with those companies on my resume I would rather look at making a killing as a indy consultant than stay and stagnate.

Jackolantern said:
For Microsoft and other big tech companies that offer interesting work and pay well, increased portability of H1 and GC is actually to their benefit, as it makes it easy for them to attract foreign workers who are currently at other companies. Then once hired by Microsoft, Google, Intel, etc. most will stay for a number of years whether they are tied by a GC process or not.

But the other 90% of companies like retrogression and lack of portability, because they can pay less or give lower raises without much worry about people leaving as long as they are tied up in the immigration process.
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KMax said:
Not all of the work at Microsoft etc. is interesting or interesting enough to keep everyone there. It is more the glamour those resumes on your resume and is more attractive to a newbie than a seasoned professional. After working a couple of years, with those companies on my resume I would rather look at making a killing as a indy consultant than stay and stagnate.
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Yes, not all the work at MS etc. is interesting, but it's good enough that most people do stay there for years, whether they have GC or H1 or are US citizens. The majority of their employees are Americans, so they're not depending on visa restrictions to retain people.

But many (if not most) who work for the "staffing companies" with a majority of employees on H1 would get a new job within 6 months if they didn't have H1/GC issues holding them back.
 
The people staying is not because of the interesting work but the stability/benefits these companies provide. Even if these companies retain employees because of the interesting work, how many such companies are there and how many ppl. are they gonna retain.

I personally know two ppl. who were at Oracle. One got stuck in retrogression and is stuck since the last 5-6 years doing mundane work...he hates it, but he has no alternative. And his peer who got his GC left and is working as a director in a startup. You have to decide for yourselfs who is doing more innovative/interesting work.

Jackolantern said:
Yes, not all the work at MS etc. is interesting, but it's good enough that most people do stay there for years, whether they have GC or H1 or are US citizens. The majority of their employees are Americans, so they're not depending on visa restrictions to retain people.

But many (if not most) who work for the "staffing companies" with a majority of employees on H1 would get a new job within 6 months if they didn't have H1/GC issues holding them back.
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My point wasn't about whether the work itself is that interesting or not. The point is that companies like MS, Intel, etc. don't need to rely on H1/GC restrictions to get people stay for a number of years, since their pay or benefits or interesting work or stability or something they offer is good enough to convince most (but not all, of course) people to stay for at least a few years even if they are American or GC holders with no legal restrictions on changing jobs.
 
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KMax said:
Why should he? What is in it for him and the corporates? They want committed wokers who will stick to the job for a while for whatever reasons. H1B and the current retregression is perfect for them.
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There is no end for greed and preying on others immigration status weakness. History has shown what would be the quality of work and innovation that can be achived in such a situation and that too in software (may be different for other Mfg. industries).

Situation now is different from the time I came here on a H1B when there was no outsourcing. One cannot outsource jobs and also ask for more H1Bs at the sametime. If Chevy/Toyota outsources manufacturing of some components and recruits more and more H1Bs in their factories at the sametime, I would not by their car if I was a citizen, even if it is right for the companies. That is the tone reflected in Washinton Post's comments and I don't see anything wrong with that.
KMax said:
What are u r plans on getting a GC? I don't know about you, I'm gonna jump ship. I'm gonna find a job that pays more and am gonna keep doing that every couple of years. I'm gonna become just another american worker and I'll grow older and also start cribbing about how detrimental H1B is too.
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I agree that it is perfect assimilation/naturalization. Just because someones parents are in government jobs abroad, it does not mean that he/she should expect to join and retire in technology jobs. Anyone in tech jobs is supposed be upto date and if this includes changing jobs/coding new stuff, so be it; that is better than managing new H1Bs time to time. Citizens certainly know this.
 
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