"The H-1B visa program allows American companies and universities to import foreign scientists, engineers and programmers. Unfortunately, it has no serious safeguards to protect American workers from being replaced and is abused to provide cheap foreign labor.

Moreover, H-1B workers continue to flood a terrible job market. During 2001 and 2002, 799,100 H-1B visas were issued and renewed despite a 6 percent national unemployment and 8 percent in Silicon Valley. The H-1B visa limits were set during more prosperous economic times but now can't be justified when so many highly trained Americans remain unemployed".

In Silicon Valley there are 123,000 H1B workers. 90% of the working electronics engineers in Silicon Valley are H1B's. I am one of the unemployed electronics engineers in Silicon Valley, so I became a programmer.

Once again it is all about money. Increase profit by reducing labor costs. :)




>By the way what does H1B stand for. I assume its some sort of temporary visa.
>
>Nick Mason
>
>>>I noticed a thread on this recently.
>>>
>>>here is another case just off the BBC news site.
>>>
>>>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3124569.stm
>>>
>>>Nick Mason
>>
>>Nick;
>>
>>Too bad!
>>
>>I know several H1B’s from India who have told me that if the market in Silicon Valley dries up and they will have to return home they have an advantage over other workers in India. They have experience working for an American company.
>>
>>We all have to think of the positives and be ready for change.
>>
>>Tom