<p>Here’s another take on our immigration policy.</p>
<p>I have long been concerned that many U.S. companies, such as Microsoft, have lobbied the federal government to permit increasing the numbers visas for technologically skilled immigrants. If the nation is so terribly short of such workers among current citizens, why can’t more $$ aid be provided to encourage our students to enter the ‘needy’ fields? Ultimately, the greater number of visas distributed will just further depress wages, this time for people who spent years educating themselves while garnering thousands of dollars in student loan debt. Sure, many graduate students are already supported by fellowships and other grants. But the feds and businesses say that we still have a shortage.</p>
<p>Well, of course, it can be seen as 2 diff. needs, one national, the other internat’l. I don’t know about Microsoft & their needs, motivations, but from a national-interest standpoint, I do see a value in bringing in skilled workers if the result will be exporting that skill back to their native country. (Something I mentioned as an incentive aspect to immigration on the other thread.) (Short-term well paid workers with limited Visas, short expiration date.)</p>
<p>I do not see a value in a massive brain drain <em>from</em> other countries, permanently to the U.S. Again, this just perpetuates the international imbalances & increases incentives to overpopulate the U.S. & underdevelop other countries.</p>
<p>I do share your concern for depressing wages (my son will enter the job market in couple of years). </p>
<p>However, just look at demographics on any campus in science and engineering (UG or G). What do you see? - non natives or first generation immigrants.</p>
<p>The natives just don’t want to go in field that pays less (over the long term) than lawyering or MBAing. We are halfway in the year, but Wall St projects that this years bonuses will be about 15-20% higher than last year. People make more money by showing more money on paper than actually making anything.</p>
<p>We have seen higher paid local technology workers replaced by H-1B visa holders. This is just a ploy to, once again, screw American workers in favor of lower paid foreign workers.</p>