US Senators against non-immigrant H1B visas

As the economic turmoil gets severe this is a time for all politicians to score some points. H1B is one of the easiest to score such a point. After all, targeting foreigners and portraying them as greedy crooks ready to grab a job that belonged to an American is so easy. In this time of high unemployment and when emotions are running high, most people wouldn't be ready to do a simple logical reasoning to see through these political sound bites.

From Yahoo:

In what could be a cause of worry for Indian IT professionals, two US Senators have introduced amendments to the economic stimulus bill, which if passed would prevent US companies receiving the federal bailout money, from hiring H-1B visa holders. The amendment if approved by the Senate would have an immediate impact on Indian IT professionals, as it is they who are the major beneficiaries of the H-1B visa programme.

Let us try to understand what the implications of this are. These senators are barking up the wrong tree. The banks that take money are in a very bad state and are struggling to survive. As much as the banks are recapitalized with taxpayer's money, if the senators have their way, they are going to make it difficult for these banks to recruit the best of talent since they are cut off from a significant portion of available talent pool making it expensive to recruit and retain talent. This puts these already struggling banks at a severe disadvantage compared to its competitors. Throwing yet another road block in the way of these struggling banks is not the best way to revive them. While at the same time money is being thrown at them because they are too large to fail making them huge cash burning institutions.

Are there are misuses of H1s, L1s and other visas? Yes. But it is incumbent on these legislators to rewrite these visa rules to be more effective. Not punish the H1 holders and banks. But this is easy compared to proactively legislating to improve the visa rules to reduce misuse and to retain well trained and skilled talent. Like any politician around the globe these senators have taken the easiest route and portray themselves as working towards American interests, when they are not.

Many Americans who are hit by this recession and losing jobs on a daily basis take kindly to this. This is perfectly understandable in a situation like this when emotions are running high. I cannot sit here and tell them to think rationally when they end up without a job and have a family to feed. But what i am trying to say is that the legal immigrants who come here and get their masters and ph.ds are valuable assets for any country and it is in America's interest to retain the best. Many still think of India and China as call centres and sweatshops alone. However, it is only part of the story.

India and China with their huge populations will always have wage advantage. However, they are not the India and China of 1950s or 1970s. America ascended to the top right after World War 2 when much of Europe was devastated and much of Asia was illiterate and barely coming out of colonial rule. Now these countries have invested huge sums in improving their infrastructure and education. They are in a much better position to compete with US. Europe with its huge market and much better social equity and security would also give US a run for its money. At this juncture throwing out this essential ingredient for success, viz skilled talent, for political reasons, though might look very attractive in the very short term, is incredibly futile.

So, my request to Americans, if you want push your congressmen to act on the visas, push them to reform it in a way that makes the program effective. Making arbitrary blanket calls for banning would only put America and hence its people at a disadvantage. People like me who are here and who have made US their home, but who don't have a voice like you citizens, do want America to prosper.

Here is a radio program discussing Reverse Brain Drain.