←back to thread

Trump to impose $100k fee for H-1B worker visas, White House says

(www.reuters.com)
1321 points mriguy | 2 comments | 19 Sep 25 19:59 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
Show context
roughly ◴[19 Sep 25 20:40 UTC] No.45306289[source]▶
I think there’s plenty of interesting debates to be had about immigration policy and its effects on the labor market, but one thing worth noting here is that the primary problem that damn near every other country on earth has isn’t immigration, it’s brain drain.

A core strategic strength of the US over the last century has been that everyone with any talent wants to come here to work, and by and large we’ve let them do so. You can argue how well that’s worked out for us - having worked with a great many extremely talented H1bs in an industry largely built by immigrants, I’d consider it pretty positive - but it damn sure hasn’t worked out well for the countries those talented folks came from.

replies(51): >>45306392 #>>45306449 #>>45306451 #>>45306457 #>>45306462 #>>45306472 #>>45306497 #>>45306499 #>>45306504 #>>45306532 #>>45306544 #>>45306577 #>>45306613 #>>45306652 #>>45306655 #>>45306707 #>>45306784 #>>45306794 #>>45306815 #>>45307051 #>>45307170 #>>45307207 #>>45307249 #>>45307273 #>>45307505 #>>45307522 #>>45307842 #>>45307910 #>>45307954 #>>45308178 #>>45308232 #>>45308290 #>>45308308 #>>45308580 #>>45309297 #>>45309977 #>>45310236 #>>45310640 #>>45310668 #>>45311024 #>>45311194 #>>45312042 #>>45312299 #>>45312339 #>>45312360 #>>45312401 #>>45312861 #>>45312907 #>>45313125 #>>45313178 #>>45314429 #
jpadkins ◴[19 Sep 25 20:49 UTC] No.45306392[source]▶
The top end of H1B has been great for America. In the last few decades, there has been growth of abuse of the program to get mid level talent at below market rates which really hurts the middle class in America. People need to understand that most reformists don't want to get rid of the truly exceptional immigration to the US. We need to limit the volume, especially the immigrants that are directly competing with a hollowed out middle class in the US. Let me know if you want further reading on this topic.
replies(36): >>45306429 #>>45306435 #>>45306452 #>>45306463 #>>45306474 #>>45306548 #>>45306582 #>>45306752 #>>45306800 #>>45306892 #>>45306969 #>>45307193 #>>45307317 #>>45307655 #>>45308072 #>>45308087 #>>45308523 #>>45308562 #>>45308675 #>>45309429 #>>45310492 #>>45310518 #>>45310562 #>>45310643 #>>45310674 #>>45310927 #>>45311128 #>>45311281 #>>45311391 #>>45311977 #>>45311996 #>>45312059 #>>45312333 #>>45312341 #>>45312487 #>>45314729 #
1. dumbfounder ◴[20 Sep 25 11:20 UTC] No.45312333[source]▶
Are we saying software engineers making $125-150k are middle class? If so, then yes this I absolutely believe this is true. These will still be high level people for the most part that will up our game in my opinion. Thats in the opinion column, hard to prove. But this fee may have a net negative impact on jobs for Americans as it will push more companies to simply outsource to these countries rather than pay more in the US. So you need to tax that too. And then they will find some way around that and we will need to tax that new thing. I don’t like this game, it is trying to stop progress in my opinion. But I guess it is a balancing act and who knows where you set the line. Adding friction to it will definitely make it so only higher quality talent migrates here, that much seems clear.
replies(1): >>45312945 #
2. ProllyInfamous ◴[20 Sep 25 12:49 UTC] No.45312945[source]▶
>$125-150k are middle class?

I would think healthily so, even if on the upper bands [0]. I personally see "middle class" solidly as $50k-150k household income (2 adults 1 kid)... but I live in the South. Two decades ago I lived in the bay area for less than $100k (electrician)... and that was regionally closer to the lower end of "middle class," even out in Hayward.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_class_in_the_United_Sta...