[smoothpooper]

Don't want to hurt all the folks whom this will immensely help. But isn't this going to kill a lot of low cost permanent jobs here in US.

So currently we are still debating on whether we want to raise the H1 cap because that will encourage body shops and more cheap labour but isn't this going to take away the low paying US jobs as well.

So say there are 65,000 ppl coming into US on H1 every year, 40,000 of these say apply for green card and on an average say it takes 8 years to get green card and 2 years to get I-140. So every year now well be making 40,000 more ppl eligible and when we start we already will have a surplus of 40,000 * 6

Plus if I am not wrong with H1 you atleast have to prove that you cannot find someone who can do this job and that's why you are bringing someone from outside. But with this you are basically making ppl with any qualification eligible for a job.

I personally would have liked the govt to hike the H1 to ensure that the students who study here won't have to leave because of the lack of enough number of visa's.

[foobar2020]

The fact that H1B spouses cannot be legally employed is just stupid.

The US needs to get its immigration together. Fix the law, decrease or increase the cap, stop the H1B program - but please be reasonable. Quality immigrants are more likely to have quality spouses. On the other hand, a mediocre programmer with his housewife will happily jump on the H1B train even if it means she will be unemployed, because that is already a huge quality of life boost for both them.

I would never take the H1B route if I were married, unless I was sure that my wife is OK with that. And I would have to be really, really sure - because that's locking into a situation for years.

[uisiu]

"Quality immigrants are more likely to have quality spouses"

This is just utter nonsense or you are out of your mind. Why quality immigrant would have quality spouse ?

Technical ( & Business) abilities differ for each individual.

I frankly admit that people from my country just want to get here and live good life

PS - I am from India.

Work hours are less in US, commute is short, quality life, beautiful country. By very nature Indians spend less and save more. So even with exorbitant lifestyle you still save money.

I have seen extremely medeocre people from AndraPradesh, Maharashtra, Chennai, Indore, Delhi working on H1B here. I will tell you something additional. Lately, there is trend going that beside programmers, engineers Business system analysts, production support are also going to h1b people.

My prior employer had 100+ BSA on h1b. Why in the world you need BSA on H1b ? What is special occupation and ability? Nobody knows. It is honestly massive scam and everyone is milking the cow while they can.

[jakozaur]

Well if you're concern is that they will take low paid jobs, feel free to put restrictions on that. Or be able for married couple to apply jointly for the visas.

At very least making H4 -> H1B conversions cap-exempt would be a great move.

Anyway, no matter if you are for or against migration the current system is very antique and counter-logical in so many places. E.g. brilliant, with track record entrepreneurs are having hard time, while still 60k green cards are given to random ppl on earth. Including those with little qualifications, income and lack of basic English skills.

The opportunity for improvement is huge. Pretty much USA immigration feels like using some email on time-shared legacy mainframe, where rest of the world uses GMail/Inbox or something else in cloud.

[sonabinu]

If you have an EB-3 (India) filing it can take upto 20 years to get your green card. A spouse who is here (usually a woman) can practically lose a big part of her life just waiting for the GC to come through. By then whatever skills you possess will be outdated