[protomyth]

> Given that, wouldn't it make more sense for the extra money to go into education? How is contributing to unemployment going to get Americans more jobs?

Unemployment is the result and those budgets are stretched these days. In some place unemployment pays for classes.

> What about companies that need the skills but can't afford the more expensive workers? If I'm a small startup with a $200k budget for an <insert niche field> expert but there are no citizens with the skills available (at all), paying $220k may not be an option, leaving me with either a loan or without the skills I need.

Why do you think its ok to not pay people the market rate just so you can benefit? Perhaps you need to compensate by equity or profit sharing? Why are workers less valuable then your startup?

[Veratyr]

> Unemployment is the result

Unemployment isn't the result of H1B, it's the result of Americans lacking the necessary skills. H1B is also the result of that lack of skill. Yes the H1B is abused but that's a separate issue to what I'm saying.

> and those budgets are stretched these days

Well you can either increase the budget or reduce the unemployment. One results in unproductive money drain, the other results in more people performing productive tasks.

> Why do you think its ok to not pay people the market rate just so you can benefit?

I'm not saying not to pay the market rate, I'm saying there's no market. There are 10 people with the skills I need in the country. All of them are at megacorps and being paid $200k, which is the same I'd offer. I'm just a small company, I can't compete with a megacorp.

[protomyth]

> Unemployment isn't the result of H1B, it's the result of Americans lacking the necessary skills.

No, the workers had the skills and were doing the job. Its the result of a company wanting those same skills cheaper. Unemployment is the result.

> I'm not saying not to pay the market rate, I'm saying there's no market. There are 10 people with the skills I need in the country. All of them are at megacorps and being paid $200k, which is the same I'd offer. I'm just a small company, I can't compete with a megacorp.

If there are truly only 10 people who can do what you need then that is what the H1B program was for. If the skill is valuable maybe you need to figure out other incentives than salary.

[Veratyr]

> No, the workers had the skills and were doing the job. Its the result of a company wanting those same skills cheaper. Unemployment is the result.

That's abuse of the H1B, something that I acknowledge but is a separate issue. I acknowledge that abuse of the H1B results in unemployment. I'm arguing for the H1B as it was intended.

> If there are truly only 10 people who can do what you need then that is what the H1B program was for.

Exactly.

> If the skill is valuable maybe you need to figure out other incentives than salary.

I can't hope to compete with a megacorp and that's my point. No matter what I offer they can outdo it. My only hope is to find employees outside the megacorp which means employees outside the US.