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1233 points mriguy | 24 comments | | HN request time: 2.418s | source | bottom
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bhouston ◴[] No.45308820[source]
This is actually smart. Many H1B visas are used to undermine fair labor wages for already local talent. We should ensure that H1B visas are for actual unique talent and not just to undercut local wages.

H1B is ripe with abuse - this article by Bloomberg says that half of all H1-B visas are used by Indian staffing firms that pay significantly lower than the US laborers they are replacing:

- https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-h1b-visa-middlemen-c...

replies(16): >>45308851 #>>45308895 #>>45308920 #>>45308959 #>>45308961 #>>45309096 #>>45309181 #>>45309231 #>>45309383 #>>45309470 #>>45309492 #>>45309522 #>>45309678 #>>45309878 #>>45310172 #>>45310539 #
1. djohnston ◴[] No.45308851[source]
The only way to do that (and preserve H1B) is to entirely disconnect the subcontinent from the application process. Their top companies exist only to scam immigration programs around the world, it is their raison d'être.
replies(4): >>45308883 #>>45308979 #>>45308988 #>>45309234 #
2. truncate ◴[] No.45308979[source]
So both people and companies from those countries?
replies(1): >>45308996 #
3. bhouston ◴[] No.45308988[source]
I have met very talented people from the subcontinent. I think the issue is the H1B structure is open to fraud.
replies(1): >>45309012 #
4. djohnston ◴[] No.45308996[source]
Yep.
replies(1): >>45309232 #
5. djohnston ◴[] No.45309012[source]
Yeah exactly. And they embrace that fraud and turn it into a cornerstone of their economy. I too have worked with extremely talented people from the subcontinent and not one was on an H1B. The H1Bs I worked with were less competent than an undergraduate intern. Thankfully I only had to do that once during an on-prem install in Tyson’s Corner.
replies(2): >>45309455 #>>45310136 #
6. truncate ◴[] No.45309232{3}[source]
>> The only way to do that (and preserve H1B) is to entirely disconnect the subcontinent from the application process.

In that case, better to rephrase to "US should close borders for Indians (and China?) workers and companies". Why sugercoat it?

replies(1): >>45309299 #
7. liquid_thyme ◴[] No.45309234[source]
Thats complete bullshit. Nobody can "steal" a job. Americans are lining up to give them jobs.
replies(1): >>45309345 #
8. djohnston ◴[] No.45309299{4}[source]
I didn’t include China. I also don’t think there’s any reason to close the borders to Indians. Rather, simply close off access to their Frankenstein cottage industry of scammers.
replies(1): >>45309425 #
9. djohnston ◴[] No.45309345[source]
Why are you using quotes around steal as though I used that word somewhere? Read what I wrote, repeat it to yourself when you fall asleep, come back tomorrow.
replies(1): >>45309392 #
10. liquid_thyme ◴[] No.45309392{3}[source]
Okay, you said scam, not steal. You didn't write much of anything except throw wild accusations.
replies(1): >>45309453 #
11. truncate ◴[] No.45309425{5}[source]
I agree that H1B abuse should be fixed. Its also bad for other H1Bs which have the skill and didn't abuse the system (which many of them are).

Maybe this 100k thing will fix it and maybe this wont. My main complain with this administration is always the chaos and impulsiveness which doesn't bring much confidence that they are actually capable of actually fixing the problem, as it always doesn't seem well thought through or executed. More like headlines to get some cheering from MAGA crowd.

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12. djohnston ◴[] No.45309453{4}[source]
Yes, scam. Scam. India. Scam. India. You’ve never heard of these two together? Google is your friend. Diploma mills, good old fashioned racial discrimination, hiding job listings in obscure outlets to avoid domestic applicants, man they are truly talented in this endeavour. Maybe if they put so much muscle into improving the home country everyone would be better off.
replies(1): >>45309519 #
13. ojbyrne ◴[] No.45309455{3}[source]
I’m curious what visa the “extremely talented people from the subcontinent” were on. If they have a green card or are naturalized citizens, there are very few paths to those statuses that doesn’t involve an H1B.
14. liquid_thyme ◴[] No.45309519{5}[source]
So your employer's interview process isn't able to differentiate between a fake degree holding scammer and you? I'd focus on that first...
replies(2): >>45309591 #>>45309636 #
15. djohnston ◴[] No.45309591{6}[source]
That’s a cute ad-hominem but ultimately off base because that’s not how the diploma mills scam works. I really encourage you to research those topics a bit - it is genuinely fascinating how complex the scams get. There’s also a bit of self-reflection that arises when you learn that these people don’t understand why scamming and cheating is wrong - they’re genuinely incapable of comprehending this. It makes you appreciate people who aren’t like that, including yourself! (hopefully)
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16. djohnston ◴[] No.45309636{6}[source]
Also to your original question here, I am involved with hiring :). I can differentiate with very little effort.
replies(1): >>45309768 #
17. liquid_thyme ◴[] No.45309768{7}[source]
Great, so if they're as obviously bad as you claim, then it should be easy to weed them out for any competent HR department. And if the HR department isn't competent, the company is going to fold. Either way, problem solved.

You felt it appropriate to jump on your little throne and pass judgement on large groups of people, but cried ad-hominem when I slightly criticized you. Sensitive much?

replies(1): >>45309888 #
18. stackedinserter ◴[] No.45309824{7}[source]
> these people don’t understand why scamming and cheating is wrong

Moreover, they openly brag about it. My wife's brings stories from her hair stylist that's very chatty about the ways they literally move their family from India to US and Canada. People fake marriages, divorces, report abuse etc etc. I'm still not sure if it's all true, but the very fact she brags about it is astounding.

replies(1): >>45310540 #
19. djohnston ◴[] No.45309888{8}[source]
How is the problem solved? You have an entire industry dedicated to scamming immigration systems around the world and your solution is to simply avoid getting scammed? It’s a lot easier to cut them off as per the article. The problem IS the scammers.
replies(1): >>45310346 #
20. throwaway7783 ◴[] No.45310136{3}[source]
I'm against these top sweatshops, but is the answer to that is ban the entire subcontinent?

Also, I don't know how many h1bs have you worked with. I have worked with many (hundreds), and it's the same spectrum of talent you'd find anywhere. This is probably not the intent of h1b, but banning a set of countries is not the solution. Changing the criteria is.

replies(1): >>45312180 #
21. famerica ◴[] No.45310177{6}[source]
> My main complain with this administration is always the chaos and impulsiveness which doesn't bring much confidence that they are actually capable of actually fixing the problem, as it always doesn't seem well thought through or executed. More like headlines to get some cheering from MAGA crowd.

I think it could also be that they don't want to fix any problems, but they do want the chaos and media attention that provides catharsis to the voting base.

22. liquid_thyme ◴[] No.45310346{9}[source]
I don't fix security bugs by requesting people to not exploit them.
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23. ◴[] No.45312171{10}[source]
24. djohnston ◴[] No.45312180{4}[source]
The fact that it’s the same spectrum of talent (in your experience) is a glaring indicator that the system has been systematically abused by Indian WITCH to the point it’s no longer fit for purpose. Unfortunately systems constructed in high trust societies (1950s USA) must adapt with the arrival of low trust societies. Much like the European refugee conventions established in the echoes of WW2 and now gleefully exploited by these same low trust societies.