[hkmurakami]

In addition, I hope that we can somehow figure out a way to give visas to STEM graduate degree earners over ones employed by such shops. That segment seems significantly underserved by the current system and it's resulting in a reverse brain drain away from the country even though we are investing in their education.

[morgante]

I don't like the idea of further endorsing and supporting credentialism.

If you can get a high salary, then you're in demand and we should keep you. If you have a STEM degree but can't even get a good job, then I don't see any reason to grant a visa.

[vostok]

I'm not sure that it makes sense to target STEM graduates in this way. Most of them would receive visas based on their high salaries whereas an explicit rule would only serve to increase the number of low quality STEM degrees.

[hkmurakami]

Yeah that did cross my mind, and now that it's been brought up, I'm inclined to think you are right.

I just learned that a bunch of acquaintances lost out on their H1B lotteries and will be shipped out of the country to international offices once their OPT terms end in 1-2 months. Since they were employed by strong companies, their salaries likely would have been high enough to qualify them for H1B visas under a system you propose.

[jacalata]

Actually I wonder if entry level employees would be crowded out completely in an auction system - wouldn't it end up being all senior engineers?