When Microsoft does layoffs and then mass H1-Bs, is that shedding low-skill Americans for top Indian talent, or just labor arbitrage? Is a country of 340 million really lacking talent, or do we just want cheaper and controllable labor?
If they wanted cheap labour, they would outsource. H1Bs are an important source of talent. That does not mean it is abused by outsourcing companies to bring cheap talent to America and profit from the arbitrage.
>That does not mean it is abused by outsourcing companies to bring cheap talent to America and profit from the arbitrage.
It doesn't have to follow directly; the problem is often indirect. H1Bs are much better behaved for employers because they are nearly powerless to say no, and can be slow-walked for raises, promotions and squeezed for high hours worked to reduce effective wages. There's also cultural migration issues - India is 70%+ of the H1B program. Does India have a monopoloy on top global talent, or is it just a process vulnerable to political capture and top execs' whims?
Talent exists everywhere, but when one country absolutely dominates a process, it suggests the process has been captured.
>Big tech is not the one abusing this program.
Did they promise that in a press release or something? Compared to Microsoft, TCS and Infosys are bottom tier tech, but the H1B program in general is sketchy based on the accusations the biggest players have had over the last decade.
https://www.newsweek.com/microsoft-layoffs-h1b-visa-applicat...
Companies always want the lucrative American businesses and consumers as customers, all the while wanting to shed expensive American workers.