[yibg]

You can take issues with the current (previous) H1B policy and the new one at the same time.

There was abuse of the H1B program, but this new EO also has issues. The biggest one currently is the rollout. There is no guidance, no mechanism to pay the actual fee, no clarity on if it applies retroactively to existing visa holders etc.

[sarchertech]

>You can take issues with the current (previous) H1B policy and the new one at the same time.

That's entirely true. But that's not what I've been hearing since this EO was announced. I've just heard pro immigration arguments about all the good H-1B visas accomplish with none of the downsides.

[yibg]

We must be reading different things. In the other post about this topic (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45305845) there were lots of discussions on the benefits of changing how the H1B program is run, with many in favor of this type of change.

I can't speak for others, but for me this seems like

1) a shakedown of corporations and / or

2) a way to ban immigration without being technically a ban

But overall I see this as another anti-immigration "policy" that's coherent with the rest of the anti-immigration policies from this administration. Hence the pro-immigration arguments.

[atonse]

Yup, whether the 100k fee will curb misuse remains to be seen. But giving people essentially 24h to react feels like utter bullshit causing totally unnecessary and avoidable chaos to LEGAL (and vetted from a background check standpoint) immigrants.

[sarchertech]

Sure everything Trump does is insane, but all I've been hearing is how "H-1Bs are good actually".

[throwaway7783]

Where do you hear this? All I'm seeing is people praising this on X, people split here on HN, and people being downright racist towards Indians on Reddit h1b forums

[sarchertech]

Mostly my own friend group and r/programming.

[yibg]

Having skilled immigrants is good for the country. H1B right now is the primary way this happens. Crippling H1B goes against that.

[sarchertech]

Sure that can be your stance. But that's not we're talking about. I'm talking about people on the left who have historically been anti H-1B, but who have moved over to the pro H-1B camp because Trump acted against the program.

To that point though, there were ~40k O visas issued last year. And presumably that number would have been much higher if the H-1Bs were harder to get.

And unlikely H-1B the O visas actually have requirements that the person does have above average skills.

[yibg]

I understand. I'm not doing a good job communicating my position. I'm in the camp you're describing: I've historically been complaining about the H1B program and how it's run, I'm also pro H1B now after this announcement like you say.

To elaborate, I'm not pro or anti H1B per se. I'm for bringing in skilled immigrates with a reasonable qualification criteria. I agree that H1B has been abused in the past and should be reformed. I'm ALSO against just outright killing the H1B program without a replacement, which is what this EO seems to be trying to do. It's not because it's trump did it, it's because the of the chaos and confusion of this rollout (which I think is likely intentional) and because if this holds it'll cripple the H1B program which in turn will cripple the inflow of skilled immigrants.

Basically I'm against the H1B program as it was, but I'm in favor of keeping it as it was over what is being done here.

[sarchertech]

That’s fair.

I think as usual Trump did things in the most disruptive, ridiculous way possible.

I think there are enough Tech and finance jobs to pay the 8.5 billion that this will cost to bring in 85k workers.

[jdlshore]

Goomba fallacy.