Comments on: The Gathering Storm: Immigration Policy for Skilled Workers Needs a Major Overhaul http://www.ere.net/2008/06/30/the-gathering-storm-immigration-policy-for-skilled-workers-needs-a-major-overhaul/ Recruiting intelligence. Recruiting community. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:20:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Michael Glenn http://www.ere.net/2008/06/30/the-gathering-storm-immigration-policy-for-skilled-workers-needs-a-major-overhaul/#comment-5509 Michael Glenn Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:38:45 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=3265#comment-5509 Large corporations have outsourced to save money. Claiming H1-B visa is NOT about "saving money" is fantasy. The H1-B visa SHOULD be used to help OTHER countries. They get training here and take that knowledge with them. Plus, from my experience, 99.9% of the H1-B visa candidates that take their FIRST job in the U.S. are merely getting "on-the-job-training". This means we are sponsoring someone from another country that has ZERO and no "REAL" work experience. Despite what their resume states. In my opinion, If we want the H1-B visa to work, we should realize that we are offering work experience to someone who can take that knowledge back with them to their country. Instead certain staffing companies gobble up H1 visas so they can pay that person less than $13/hr while marking them up 100 to 300%. Large corporations have outsourced to save money.

Claiming H1-B visa is NOT about “saving money” is fantasy.

The H1-B visa SHOULD be used to help OTHER countries. They get training here and take that knowledge with them.

Plus, from my experience, 99.9% of the H1-B visa candidates that take their FIRST job in the U.S. are merely getting “on-the-job-training”. This means we are sponsoring someone from another country that has ZERO and no “REAL” work experience. Despite what their resume states.

In my opinion, If we want the H1-B visa to work, we should realize that we are offering work experience to someone who can take that knowledge back with them to their country.

Instead certain staffing companies gobble up H1 visas so they can pay that person less than $13/hr while marking them up 100 to 300%.

]]> By: Vicki Wadman http://www.ere.net/2008/06/30/the-gathering-storm-immigration-policy-for-skilled-workers-needs-a-major-overhaul/#comment-5486 Vicki Wadman Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:55:09 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=3265#comment-5486 In Mr Singh's article, he states "The recruiting industry is not in a good position to influence this situation. The industry is not an organized lobby. No lobbying firm represents recruiting interests in Washington, while even North Korea and Ultimate Fighting are represented." As a reminder, recruiting is part of the Human Resource industry and we have the SHRM organization that lobbies for solutions to these types of issues. In Mr Singh’s article, he states “The recruiting industry is not in a good position to influence this situation. The industry is not an organized lobby. No lobbying firm represents recruiting interests in Washington, while even North Korea and Ultimate Fighting are represented.”

As a reminder, recruiting is part of the Human Resource industry and we have the SHRM organization that lobbies for solutions to these types of issues.

]]> By: Gene Nelson, Ph.D. http://www.ere.net/2008/06/30/the-gathering-storm-immigration-policy-for-skilled-workers-needs-a-major-overhaul/#comment-5476 Gene Nelson, Ph.D. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:46:06 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=3265#comment-5476 Author Singh misrepresents that the EU "Blue Card" has been enacted. See the January 20, 2008 article by Rob Sanchez "The Blue Card Scare," http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/guests/s_548336.html Author Singh misrepresents that the EU “Blue Card” has been enacted. See the January 20, 2008 article by Rob Sanchez “The Blue Card Scare,” http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/guests/s_548336.html

]]> By: Deborah Jones http://www.ere.net/2008/06/30/the-gathering-storm-immigration-policy-for-skilled-workers-needs-a-major-overhaul/#comment-5465 Deborah Jones Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:22:34 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=3265#comment-5465 The H-1B is not about "saving money." It allows foreign trained individuals to immigrate to the U.S. where they are needed. In fact, in the healthcare sector, all foreign trained (licensed) professionals must take the national board exams, so they are as well educated and credentialed as any U.S. candidate. There may be those that begin at the "lower end" of the pay scale their first few years here due to the healthcare delivery differences between the U.S. and their country, but they quickly catch up on their experience and compete quite well, thank you very much. Of course we should want U.S. citizens to want to enter these fields, and should encourage this at the high school level, but our schools are clearly not going to meet the needs of certain employment sectors in keeping with demand. The H-1B is not about “saving money.” It allows foreign trained individuals to immigrate to the U.S. where they are needed. In fact, in the healthcare sector, all foreign trained (licensed) professionals must take the national board exams, so they are as well educated and credentialed as any U.S. candidate. There may be those that begin at the “lower end” of the pay scale their first few years here due to the healthcare delivery differences between the U.S. and their country, but they quickly catch up on their experience and compete quite well, thank you very much. Of course we should want U.S. citizens to want to enter these fields, and should encourage this at the high school level, but our schools are clearly not going to meet the needs of certain employment sectors in keeping with demand.

]]> By: Michael Glenn http://www.ere.net/2008/06/30/the-gathering-storm-immigration-policy-for-skilled-workers-needs-a-major-overhaul/#comment-5459 Michael Glenn Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:22:03 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=3265#comment-5459 From an IT perspective, I couldn't disagree more with this article. The H1-B visa is not only a mess, but a sham. Our problem is that we want folks that can hit the ground running. We want it now, hot, fast and quick. We like the drive thru approach to hiring because we don't have time. And by the way, Supersize it too! Our kids graduate from college but have a hard time finding work because we simply want to pay an H1-B visa a low wage. The problem? The H1-B visa is not cheaper than the college kid and most of the time doesn't have the communication skills. Trying to save money using H1-B is not working. It's time we make a change. We need to start with kids coming out of college and train them. Then, we can look outside for help. Wouldn't you agree with this approach? From an IT perspective, I couldn’t disagree more with this article. The H1-B visa is not only a mess, but a sham.

Our problem is that we want folks that can hit the ground running.

We want it now, hot, fast and quick. We like the drive thru approach to hiring because we don’t have time. And by the way, Supersize it too!

Our kids graduate from college but have a hard time finding work because we simply want to pay an H1-B visa a low wage.

The problem? The H1-B visa is not cheaper than the college kid and most of the time doesn’t have the communication skills.

Trying to save money using H1-B is not working. It’s time we make a change. We need to start with kids coming out of college and train them. Then, we can look outside for help.

Wouldn’t you agree with this approach?

]]> By: Deborah Jones http://www.ere.net/2008/06/30/the-gathering-storm-immigration-policy-for-skilled-workers-needs-a-major-overhaul/#comment-5448 Deborah Jones Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:01:51 +0000 http://www.ere.net/?p=3265#comment-5448 This article captures the absolute mess our immigration policies represent. Talent within the the tech and healthcare industries flows like sludge through the veins of our impossibly tangled visa entry system, while the unskilled and often criminally-oriented flow freely across our borders daily, sometimes while injuring or killing our pitifully-few border agents. While this is happening, our politicians refuse to carve out policies that will address skilled talent shortages from those that enable and even protect illegals. We can stop this madness if we choose. Demand that your elected officials do their jobs. This article captures the absolute mess our immigration policies represent. Talent within the the tech and healthcare industries flows like sludge through the veins of our impossibly tangled visa entry system, while the unskilled and often criminally-oriented flow freely across our borders daily, sometimes while injuring or killing our pitifully-few border agents. While this is happening, our politicians refuse to carve out policies that will address skilled talent shortages from those that enable and even protect illegals. We can stop this madness if we choose. Demand that your elected officials do their jobs.

]]>