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The H-1B visa program allows American companies and universities to hire foreign scientists, engineers and programmers. Unfortunately, H-1B law lacks adequate safeguards to protect US workers from being displaced and is abused to provide cheap labor. Although requirements say employers must pay the "prevailing wage," numerous loopholes mean there is little real-world wage protection for either US citizens or the H-1B guest workers. Moreover, employers almost never have to certify that no qualified U.S. workers are available before hiring an H-1B. Certification is nearly an automatic rubber stamp.

Congress needs to increase domestic worker safeguards, tell the Department of Labor to stop rubberstamping H-1B applications, and resist pressure from corporate lobbyists to double the annual H-1B visa limit.

Immediate Calls and Faxes Needed to Help Stop H-1B Increase
Posted Sunday Sept. 16, 2007

With press attention focusing on the Iraq and the illegal alien amnesty, some Senators are planning to sneak an H-1B cap increase into the defense appropriations bill this week.

This is a well planned attack. Earlier this month, 13 state governors sent a letter to Congress asking for more H-1B visas. Additionally, skilled immigrant groups are scheduled to march on Washington for more H-1Bs and green cards this week.

Take action on Sunday

Go to NumbersUSA.com and send these faxes:
  • Tell Congress to resist H-1B increases
  • Your governor is pushing for major H-1B increases

    Take action on Monday

    Telephone your Senator and make these points:

    1.) Tell your Senator NO H-1B INCREASE. Tell him that the H-1B has hurt your professional career with stagnant wages, job-loss and under-employment.

    2.) Ask your Senator if he or she remembers the "Jobless Recovery" that lasted until March 2004. That's just 3 years ago! The same companies that are now asking for more H-1B workers were laying off thousands then. Remind him that the Senate's huge H-1B increase in 2001 made a bad recession even worse. Let's not make the same mistake by increasing the H-1B count again.

    3.) Warn your Senator that many economists now believe another recession is likely because of the mortgage crisis, and the job market may already be deteriorating. In August 2007 the economy lost 4,000 jobs, yet 160,000 new jobs each month are needed just to keep up with new entrants to the job market.

    Call the capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or (877) 762-8762. Who represents me?

    Background:
  • YouTube: Big Business looking for more H-1B visas
  • U.S. Chamber: hopes dim on immigration bill, but H-1B visas look good
  • Governors throw support behind H-1B increase
  • Should the U.S. increase its H-1B visa program? Wages discredit claims of a labor shortage


  • In case you missed it...

    Should We Put a Cap on the Number of L-1 Visas?
    Art Jahnke; CIO Magazine; June 5, 2003
    The L-1 visa is more threatening than the H-1B because it lacks even token worker protections.

    A Mainframe-Size Visa Loophole
    Business Week; March 6, 2003
    L-1 intercompany transfer visas are being exploited to replace Americans with low-wage foreigner workers.

    Is Your Privacy At Risk?
    Steven Cooper; WKMG TV Orlando, FL; Feb. 19, 2003
    Overseas outsourcinon at risk.

    Where Did The Jobs Go?
    Steven Cooper; WKMG TV Orlando, FL; Feb. 17, 2003
    Siemens, like many companies, is replacing its domestic employees with H-1B and L-1 foreign workers.

    IEEE-USA asks for rollback of H-1B visa quotas
    Margaret Quan; EE Times; Feb. 9, 2003
    The IEEE-USA is asking that the H-1B visa program visa cap be lowered.

    U.S. Economy in Worst Hiring Slump in 20 Years
    David Leonhardt; New York Times; Feb. 6, 2003
    Hiring is unlikely to resume anytime soon.

    H-1B Visa Count Down, Anger Up
    Patrick Thibodeau; Computer World; Feb. 3, 2003
    A preliminary INS count shows that 79,100 regular H-1B visas, and 215,000 cap exempt and extension H-1B visas were issued in 2002.

    A short circuit for US engineering careers
    Terry Costlow; Christian Science Monitor; Dec. 26, 2002
    Dissatisfaction caused by layoffs, the influx of foreign workers and offshore outsourcing is causing engineers to seek new professions.

    Sun broke rules on hiring foreign workers
    Benjamin Pimentel; San Francisco Chronicle; Oct. 10, 2002
    The US Labor Department finds that Sun Microsystems failed to provide proper public-notice before hiring H-1B workers.

    Tech firms want more for less
    Joyce Lain Kennedy; Dallas Morning News; Sept. 29, 2002
    Syndicated columnist and career expert falts the H-1B program.

    Tech veterans squeezed out: Overseas hiring, ageism blamed
    Barbara Rose; Seattle Times; March 14, 2002


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    Over 1 Million Visas Issued

    Over 1 Million H-1B Visas Issued
    Source: H-1B Hall of Shame

    Thank You for
    Siding with Opportunity

    Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)

    During the 108th Congress, Representative DeLauro (D-CT) and 26 cosponsors introduced HR 2702 to provide real L-1 visa reform.

    Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), Ranking Appropriations Committee Member

    Senator Byrd (D-WV) led the fight against Arlen Spector's (R-PA) 2005 sneak attack on American workers hidden deep in the 2006 Federal budget. Unfortunately, in a disastrous sell-out, the Senate rejected the Byrd Amendment 14-85.
    No Immigrant Bashing

    Corporate lobbyist Advocating a major reduction in the number of H-1B visas issued and enforcement of our labor laws shouldn't be construed as advocating hostility toward foreign workers. Even those who've violated the terms of their visa should be treated with respect. Ultimately, the excesses and abuses of the H-1B visa program are the fault of the Congress which has bowed to the high-tech industry lobbyists.


    H1B.info is dedicated to restoring the opportunity for all Americans to apply for any job opening.
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