I'm a big fan of bringing the best and the brightest to the U.S. to work - especially if part of their dream is to become an American citizen. After all, isn't that part of almost everyone's heritage here? I'm channeling Neil Diamond today.
Not "Love on the Rocks", smarty-pants. Think the Neil classic, "America"
Now that you're whipped up in a patriotic frenzy and supporting at least part of the immigration dream, what if I told you the slots usually reserved for the best and brightest from abroad were not being used to help American companies, that the vast majority of H-1B visas were being awarded to companies based in India that specialize in outsourcing.
You'd probably be like me - at first confused, then feeling a little dubious. You can almost hear the music from the Neil Diamond LP coming to a halt, by dragging the needle across the vinyl.
From the Business Week article on the visa trainwreck:
"The controversy over visas for high-skilled workers from abroad looks like it's about to get even hotter.
The program for what are known as H-1B visas was originally set up to allow companies in the U.S. to import the best and brightest in technology, engineering, and other fields when such workers are in short supply in America. But data just released by the federal government show that offshore outsourcing firms, particularly from India, dominate the list of companies awarded H-1B visas in 2007. Indian outsourcers accounted for nearly 80% of the visa petitions approved last year for the top 10 participants in the program. The new data are sure to fuel criticism of the visa program from detractors such as Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.). "These numbers should send a red flag to every lawmaker that the H-1B visa program is not working as it was intended," said Grassley in an e-mail."
Take a look at the article for the pros and cons - there's a position on both sides of the equation. Also, take a look at the scoreboard below in terms of the companies that received the most visa approvals in 2007.
(Hat tip to Jim Stroud 2.0 for the graphic...)
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