H-1B Workers Earn More Than U.S. Workers

by Don E. Sears - May 15th, 2010 - eWeek

A University of Maryland report claims to dispel the idea that programs such as H-1B visas and foreign workers are cheap sources of labor for American companies. The study finds foreign workers in the United States have actually earned more than U.S. tech professionals. The study's authors, professors Sunil Mithas and Henry Lucas, recently spoke with eWEEK on the implications of wage deltas between the United States and visa workers.

The following question-and-answer interview seeks to get a better understanding of the findings and implications of the recently published report, "Are Foreign IT Workers Cheaper?

The lies about the use of H-1B visas to fill positions for which they claim to otherwise be unable find good American workers is dispelled by lots of compelling evidence. I have anecdotal evidence of that in my own background. On two occasions I was replaced by foreign workers in technical management positions. In both situations the companies had to bring me back multiple times to help the replacements learn how to do the job, jobs for which they were only minimally qualified. On at least one occasion I was brought back over a year later because the company had a problem caused by the replacement and I had to straighten out his mess. My former team of American workers were delighted to have me back for that project. Though I was still available if the company wished, the foreign worker was retained and I was once again allowed to return to a consulting career that was only chosen since companies would no longer hire someone of my age.

I believe that anti American bias, and a desire to create positions for foreign workers who are more subservient are the major driving factors behind the hiring of H-1B visas to replace older middle management. Young American workers who are available for these jobs are told they do not have the experience, and then foreigners with even less experience are given the jobs and acquire the experience. American management sets these goals as strategies without any real concern for the reality of their claims about the unavailability of Americans. The goals become self fulfilling prophesies.