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Immigration reform is one of the 5 executive actions in Trump’s to do list for day one.
California Republican Darrell Issa has re-introduced a bill aimed at cracking down on the H-1B visa abuse by making major amendments to the existing program, allowing only highly skilled foreign employees work in the US.
The new bill, titled “Protect and Grow American Jobs Act,” has been re-introduced in Congress by Republican Darrell Issa and Democrat Scott Peters proposing important changes to the eligibility criteria for availing H-1B visa.
The bill has recommended a hike in the minimum salary of H-1B employees, and elimination of the masters’ quota/cap. The lawmakers have proposed an increase of $100,000 in the annual salary of H-1B employees.
The two lawmakers argue that the new amendments will help in cracking down on visa abuse by companies that hire average workforce from other countries for cheap salary, thus depriving American jobs.
The lawmakers are of the opinion that the legislation will ensure that only talented people from the world get an opportunity to work in the US, thus offering more job opportunity to US citizens.
The bill comes after a number of companies — among them, Disney, SoCal Edison and others — came under fire for allegedly using the H1B program to replace American workers with foreign workers.
“In order for America to lead again, we need to ensure we can retain the world’s best and brightest talent. At the same time, we also need to make sure programs are not abused to allow companies to outsource and hire cheap foreign labor from abroad to replace American workers,” Issa said.
“The legislation we’re introducing today does both. It will ensure that our valuable high-skilled immigration spots are used by companies when the positions cannot be filled by the existing workforce,” Issa said.
The official statement of Issa added: “The legislation would help close a loophole in the nation’s high-skilled immigration system being used by these companies to bring in cheaper foreign labor from abroad.”
“By raising the salary to a level more in-line with the average American salary for these positions, it would help cut down on abuse by removing the profit incentive and ensuring these positions remain available for companies who truly need them,” it further said.
Issa’s bill is introduced with the support of fellow San Diego-area Congressman Scott Peters (D-CA).
When introduced in the House last year, the bill had faced strong opposition but with President-elect Trump calling for restricting the H1B program, its re-introduction has gained more significance.
Immigration reform was one of the five executive actions that Trump plans to take on the first day at the office as the President. Trump said earlier that he would ask the Department of Labor to investigate visa abuses that undercut American workers.
9 Comments
americans have right to defend their jobs and keep their own unemployment under control and protect their people from poverty. Why should Indians be aggrieved when protectionism exists in thier own backyard in much harsher form.
Protectionism exists in the worst form in the most industrialised states of India namely Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, it is unwritten rule to hire only local people belong to their own state. This is harsh reality in the cities of Pune, Chennai, Bangalore and Ahmadabad/surat etc
In Maharashtra state of India, the state government has put up so many road block and penal taxes on products from other states that only local products show up on even large supermarket chains.
Even in the IT sector in Pune moral exclusion is rampant and any project ramp down in any IT company or layoff results in firing of employees belonging other states first. many IT professionals who made mistake of moving to Pune (fooled by media reports of diversity) find their careers cut short as they are made train locals and then sidelined and put on bench and eventually fired. Same scenario exists in Chennai in much harsher form where the non local from other states are mobbed out of companies.
the latest example of protectionism is the creation of state of Telangana where the backward region of Andhra Pradesh is separated out and their people denied jobs in employment of Hyderabad in an implicit manner.
The people belonging to A.P were the one who invested heavily in Hyderabad to make it and IT and industry HUB.
This is highly stupid. Outside of Tech states like CA and WA and maybe NY very few client companies (the company that contracts IT firms to do tech work) can even afford to pay 100k to its IT employees let alone contracted employees
E.g. EPIC … a company that makes Medical devices in Madison pays $90k to Masters Degree hires from US Universities
Indian IT companies will simply move the jobs to India where the margin for the is higher.
The US client companies will still need IT services.
This bill just crelated 60,000 jobs in India per year
Very stupid
they can still get around the minimum by saying no americans can do the job – the 100k floor needs to be a hard floor with no exceptions,
AND… the limit needs to be filled by highest bidder, not lottery
h1b reform has a looooooong way to go before we, the american people, ever get to see any kind of justice
The visa scam is causing more harm to American workers than even the manufacturing move to China. Currently there are nearly 400,000 jobs being stolen by Indian workers. Any other country would never let this happen. American tech workers need to get off WOW and Pornhub and get political. This isn’t just about this generation it’s about our children being able to get good jobs. Do you want them living at home forever? Please bombard your elected officials with email and remind then all the men in women lying in Arlington cemertry didn’t die so their descendants would have to compete with foreigners in their own country for jobs.
Before that Indian’s never welcomed USA and UK to enter and setup their shops in the early 50-80’s but globalization has made world to get connected and showcased lot of innovation across world especially in USA. I do agree that we need competent people in USA and don’t quote anything on ‘looting’ statement you have made.
Depends on the wording – last time he wanted to include bonuses (optional) in the $100k test. It needs to be $100k minimum required salary. And NO INCREASE in the number of h1bs. period. no extensions or other funny business!
This is the best and a wanted rule which protects the Americans as well the Indians themselves from over pouring of people into US and misusing all sorts of loop holes in US immigration ultimately non skilled people also trying to seek immigrant status and troubling the Americans as well the Indians . It needs to be passed and implemented which ultimately leads to a better standards of life for who is existing including non-immigrants and Americans and also helps Immigrant VISA (GC) to get faster for required , truly skilled and long staying people .
Allegedly replacing American workers!? LOL
Americans have right to defend their jobs and keep their own unemployment under control and protect their people from poverty. Why should Indians be aggrieved when protectionism exists in their own backyard in much harsher form.
Protectionism exists in the worst form in the most industrialised states of India namely Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, it is unwritten rule to hire only local people belong to their own state. This is harsh reality in the cities of Pune, Chennai, Bangalore and Ahmadabad/surat etc
In Maharashtra state of India, the state government has put up so many road block and penal taxes on products from other states that only local products show up on even large supermarket chains.
Even in the IT sector in Pune moral exclusion is rampant and any project ramp down in any IT company or layoff results in firing of employees belonging other states first. many IT professionals who made mistake of moving to Pune (fooled by media reports of diversity) find their careers cut short as they are made train locals and then sidelined and put on bench and eventually fired. Same scenario exists in Chennai in much harsher form where the non local from other states are mobbed out of companies.
the latest example of protectionism is the creation of state of Telangana where the backward region of Andhra Pradesh is separated out and their people denied jobs in employment of Hyderabad in an implicit manner.
The people belonging to A.P were the one who invested heavily in Hyderabad to make it and IT and industry HUB.