[CLUE-Talk] Proposed HR 2688 -- Wondering about opinions on H-1B visas

[Rita Gibson]

Hello everyone:

I don't want to spark some controversial political debate here, but assuming
a lot of you on this list are IT workers, I am curious as to your opinions
on the proposal to end the H-1B visa program. I have seen a Post editorial
and letters to the editors in the Post today. I am sure there are articles
in the RMN (I read both), but I only looked on the Post's site because that
is what I am reading at the moment. BTW, I have not read the bill yet, which
I intend to do.

Article:
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E33%257E1518594,00.html?searc
h=filter

Editorial:
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E73%257E1525006,00.html?searc
h=filter

Letters:
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~416~,00.html

(I hope the links above work, I have never known how to copy a long link and
have it stay together properly in transit....)

I had personally encountered these type of workers several years ago at my
first "big" IT job. I worried at the time about people I had gone to school
with who were excited about working in IT and wondering at the time why we
were not training US workers (college students or
adults-looking-for-another-career for that matter) for these jobs, instead
why people from other countries were better trained and educated than
Americans. I still don't have the answer to that question. (The tech bubble
burst as I was in the midst of retraining for a chance at one of those
unfilled tech jobs.)

Anyone out there with a perspective from the employer's, American worker's,
or visa-holder's POV? I am mulling writing to my various representatives on
this topic.


Rita Gibson