The reality is that very, very few highly skilled technical people, even people like Jerry Yang or Sergey Brin would have qualified for O-1 visas if they had needed to try. It's also indisputable that Yahoo! and Google have each generated a lot of jobs an a lot of tax revenues for the US.

The following is from Wikipedia:

Generally, to qualify for O-1 classification, aliens of extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics must demonstrate sustained national or international acclaim and recognition for achievements in the field of expertise by providing evidence of:

Receipt of a major, internationally recognized award, such as the Nobel Prize; or at least three of the following forms of documentation:

   1. Documentation of the alien's receipt of nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in the field of endeavor;
   2. Documentation of the alien's membership in associations in the field for which classification is sought, which require outstanding achievements of their members, as judged by recognized national or international experts in their disciplines or fields;
   3. Published material in professional or major trade publications or major media about the alien, relating to the alien's work in the field for which classification is sought, which shall include the title, date, and author of such published material, and any necessary translation;
   4. Evidence of the alien's participation on a panel, or individually, as a judge of the work of others in the same or in an allied field of specialization to that for which classification is sought;
   5. Evidence of the alien's original scientific, scholarly, or business-related contributions of major significance in the field;
   6. Evidence of the alien's authorship of scholarly articles in the field, in professional journals, or other major media;
   7. Evidence that the alien has been employed in a critical or essential capacity for organizations and establishments that have a distinguished reputation;
   8. Evidence that the alien has either commanded a high salary or will command a high salary or other remuneration for services, evidenced by contracts or other reliable evidence.

All economies depend on trade and division of labors to be prosperous. So money going back to India and other countries may help increase global trade.

It will increase consumption in those countries, but not necessarily consumption of american goods.

I think that money will benefit America more if it stays in America. This will happen if we employ more Americans who spend all of their money in America, rather than sending some of it to family members in other countries.

It's nice to help India's economy, or China or Russia. Unfortunately, US is not in the charitable business of helping developing economies.

You did not clearly understood the implication of "trade" part.

If trade is central to the wealth of society, then more trading with other economies of the world will lead to increased wealth in the US.

In fact, we have the largest free trade zone right here in the US. Goods and services in the US, for the most part, move freely.

Increase in wealth for whom? The upper class or the middle class or the lower class? I think qui bono is the central question in this issue. The wealthy in America benefit, but the middle and lower class does not.

Research shows, as the middle class increases in wealth, then so does the whole economy and through increasing H1B's, we are eliminating the middle class american worker to jobs overseas.

Common sense should already suggest that trade is mutually benefical because well, I get stuff that I wanted, and you get stuff that you want. Why should trade only specifically benefit some certain classes of society?

Read the article on comparative advantage. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparative_advantage

This is the reason why we specialize and trade, because everybody will be better off.

Not necessarily, it depends who controls the trade. There is rarely such a thing as "free trade" or "free market" -- it is a pipe dream. Trade is mostly about controls, tariffs and subsidies. Usually the powerful side control the trade.

> largest free trade zone right here in the US.

That is true, but I thought we are talking about internation trade.

That money goes after tax has been paid, house bought etc. It has many immediate benefit for the host country. The host is not subsidizing the alien's home country.