I think that has not been true in a while.
> * they cannot change job easily, they can't even quit if they're burning out to take some rest time, some of my friends feel like they are basically slaves of their current company
That is not necessarily true either. I have worked with plenty of H-1B workers who easily switched jobs. From what they told me their new employer takes care of all paperwork.
I know plenty of people that stick to a sub-optimal job out of fear of being stuck out of the US.
Changing jobs is very stressful on an H1B visa.
Sure, you can get a lawyer to write a demand letter why you’re hoping to not get deported before you find another job. And of course risk a reference from that job or worse. But the whole system is designed to create indentured servitude to corporations for foreign workers. Just put everyone who graduates with an advanced degree on a greencard and call it good already.
> I think that has not been true in a while.
It is temporarily not true (since an Obama Administration rule change in 2015), but the change is being fought in court (the case was remanded a few months ago from a panel of the DC appeals court back to a lower federal court, after they found the plaintiffs to have standing; I’m not sure what the current status is).
The Trump Administration has stated multiple times that it intends to roll the rule back. I’m not sure what the status of that is either; it’s not clear if they were just too disorganized to get around to it in 3 years, or if their stated intentions were political posturing and they never intended to follow up, or if they changed their mind, or ...
The people affected have been able to work for a few years but I’m sure the possibility of losing that right on short notice still causes some stress.
I’m not an expert but if you are curious about the details the keyword is “H-4 EAD”.
I know many people on the H-1B and this is the problems that I see personally:
* if you are not married, you have to get married or break up (I personally decided to get married, even though I do not believe in marriage)
* your spouse cannot work. Many of my friends have had their spouse not working for years, and going crazy.
* they cannot change job easily, they can't even quit if they're burning out to take some rest time, some of my friends feel like they are basically slaves of their current company
* if they get fired (which happened to one of my friend who works at Uber a few days ago) then their life goes to hell
* they are hard to come by (I applied twice and didn't get it, had to leave the US and wait for a year and a half for a greencard to be able to come back)