Communications of the ACM
Senator Schumer: H-1b se ndercuts Pay, Discourages Tech Enrollments
"Students can see that paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for advanced schooling is not worth the cost when the market is being flooded with foreign temporary workers willing do to tech work for far less pay," says Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY).
Credit: WPIX
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) says the H-1B visa program has created "multinational temp agencies" that undercut U.S. wages and discourage students from entering technology-related fields.
The U.S. Senate recently passed a border security bill that includes a $2,000 fee increase on firms that have 50 percent or more of their U.S. employees on H-1B and L-1 visas. Schumer also says the H-1B visa is likely to be "dramatically restricted" in a comprehensive immigration bill expected next year, although he notes their use has greatly benefited the United States.
A recent report from the United States Chamber of Commerce supports the use of H-1B visas. "In the global economy, investment follows the talent and attempts to restrict the hiring of talented foreign-born professionals in the United States encourages such hiring to take place overseas, where the investment dollars will follow," the report says.
Meanwhile, computer science enrollment is rising, according to the Computer Research Association. After bottoming out in the 2006-07 academic year, enrollment has increased 14 percent in the past two years.
From Computerworld
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