News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Laid-Off Americans, Required to Zip Lips on Way Out, Grow... by newjersey on Saturday June 11, 2016 @05:32PM (#11885430)
I'd like to add that full rights for guest workers could possibly solve the problem outright. Let the worker walk out and find a better job the day they land in the airport or cross the border or change status to worker. Make any "bond" illegal and declare the employer may not seek restitution for the worker walking out in search of greener pastures.
Re:Laid-Off Americans, Required to Zip Lips on Way Out, Grow... by yazaddaruvala on Saturday June 11, 2016 @06:07PM (#11885574)
While this is definitely helpful, it solves a different problem.

You're assuming that H1Bs are only awarded to highly skilled workers. Therefore, if they are being "underpaid" they could get other jobs that would pay them more.

However, this is not currently true. Currently the problem is that certain companies are exploiting the H1B program to get workers who are "high skilled" but only meeting the minimum requirements[1]. As a result, these "minimum requirement" H1B holders are not being "underpaid" they are appropriately paid for their skill level, while still:

1. Hindering higher skilled workers from attaining H1Bs.

2. Undercutting the current US workers salaries.

Meanwhile, giving H1Bs via auction(ideally, based on the employees yearly compensation), ensure that the US only takes the highest skilled workers[2]. Encouraging an import of the world's best. Larger salaries for H1B holders on average, therefore more taxes collected.

[1] Because the minimum requirements are actually quite vague and to anyone not in the tech field, its really hard to asses the technical abilities of a potential employee.

[2] Utilizing salary as a proxy for skill, based on capitalistic company's abilities to accurately compensate skill.

Re:Laid-Off Americans, Required to Zip Lips on Way Out, Grow... by newjersey on Sunday June 12, 2016 @05:57AM (#11887432)
I like this idea. However, I must ask what safeguards do we have from preventing this class from turning into the eb5 or indeed should we try to prevent h1b from turning into eb5?