> Otherwise there is no sense in hiring an H1B with the same salary plus all the H1B related fees and expenses

I am sure some employers will perceive them as more compliant employees, given their visa status depends on their continued employment.

If you're looking for compliant employees, why go through the trouble of hiring an h1b employee, bringing them from a different country and paying all the fees associated with processing visas and probably a green card process, and paying them the same or higher (usually, the outsourcing body shops are generally the places that play below market for h1b) ... if you can just find and American to do the same thing?

Hell when you get rid of an h1b worker there are even costs associated with revoking their visa and possibly paying for their flight back!

> If you're looking for compliant employees, why go through the trouble of hiring an h1b employee, bringing them from a different country and paying all the fees associated with processing visas and probably a green card process, and paying them the same or higher (usually, the outsourcing body shops are generally the places that play below market for h1b) ... if you can just find and American to do the same thing?

The argument is that you can't, because American workers know their rights - rights that every employee should have and stand on, but sadly those from other countries don't always know about.

Intel sponsors the green card of their employees.

Just saying'.

The issue is a bit more complex than that (and I doubt middle management has a firm enough grasp on how to let go 10,000 people within a shot-time frame with proper diligence). There is a vested interest in deregulating the immigration system because it will drive down skilled labor costs, not filling "open" positions allows them to perpetuate their agenda at no cost to them (outside of a job listing). Anyone who has to work under the threat of deportation is going to work harder on average than someone who isn't. It's good for productivity, but bad for all the skilled labor in this country, INCLUDING the people who want to immigrate here for a better life, because they'll be subjected to it eventually too.