Looking for H1B Worker Anecdotes

Boo Hoo.

Who gives a ****?

They stole the bread out of the mouths of the American people - stealing jobs that belong to the American people on American soil.

I truly do not care what happens to them. They deserve everything they get.

H-1B Horror Story #1:

"Don't make that you are a genuine person and your company is a decent company, I know very well about you and your company employees, like how they are suffering, after joining this company. You guys are suing all employees, whose are quit within 2 years contract. Why they are quiting, because you guys were treating like a slaves. I was a slave for JeanMartin for some time. Now, I am very happy after come out from this ugly company. All are trying to make money, but you guyz are like real BLOOD SUCKERS. My hourly rate was $75, but you have given $23. You and your colleagues are sucking your employees blood.
*I don't like to give harsh and bad words. but JeanMartin consultancies like poison ivy. No human being, no courtesy, no decency, no discipline."

Can the person who sent in this JeanMartin example please contact me by e-mail at steve_hamm@businessweek.com.

Check out http://www.desicrunch.com/ for all stories, good and bad, related to Indian consulting companies. The site has been referenced in comments related to stories on businessweek earlier.

American engineers are suffering because of H1-B program, but Business Week is more interested in hearing from the perpetrators.

What about American engineers who are leaving the profession, doing odd jobs just to survice, or even turning to "offer" erotic services because of no engineering job due to H1-B?

Steve,

I'm concerned that you're only interested in one side of the story. I thought journalists were supposed to explore all facets of an issue. As an IT manager in silicon valley I've seen abuses on both sides. There are hiring managers who exploit H1B workers because they know the workers are 'stuck' -dependent on the company for their continued residency in the States. The flip side of this scenario is that US workers are deliberately overlooked for more 'compliant' H1B workers.

Another common scenario involves a foreign national with permanent residency privileges setting up a shop and then hiring *only* H1B or other foreign workers of their own national origin.

-J

The root of the issue is H1B employees 'stuck' with their sponsors. It goes against the principals of a free market regulated by dynamics of demand and supply.

Wow.. reading all these stories makes me wonder.. I have worked with two small consulting companies since I arrived from India and both companies have been really fair to me. I get paid on time with benefits and a good cut of my billing rate.

The reason I didn't want to join as a full time permanent employee cos that makes you slave till you get your green card.. With small consulting company you can move to different client in bad economy and it won't affect your GC processing.

Most of my friends joined small consulting companies cos they didn't want to be slave during GC processing.

I am an H1B worker. I have been treated unfairly. Not by my company, but by US government and its crazy laws regarding H1.

I work with lot a of smart US citizens. I admire their knowledge and experience. I haven't seen them out of work over multiple recessions. They were always gainfully employed.

However I don't understand why H1B workers have to satisfy the insecurities of some incompetent and racist Americans who cannot find a decent job even in good economy.

H1b is less than 1% percent of us workforce. H1B bashing is not the solution for all America's problems.

Those who complain against H1Bs are either incompetent or racists.

America is what it is now because of immigrants and H1 workers. It is so easy for Americans to point an accusing finger at immigrants and blame them for their pain. I challenge all those who complain about immigrants and H1s to close their eyes and imagine(if their brain has enough capacity to handle the power of imagination) an America without immigrants. An America without immigrants would be a joke...just go ask Russia where they are now. Two decades ago they were a power to contend with, they vied with America and sent men to the moon. The United States of America would be a has-been were it not for Immigrants. And much as we do not demand an apology or gratitude from the ignorant moronic losers who complain non-stop about us, we do demand that they shut their ignorant moronic mouths!

The United States no longer needs mass immigration as it did during the westward march and industrial age. We have an abundance of domestic IT talent and the Indian H1B workers should be immediately deported.

Time and again I read posts by some ignorant people that H1b workers are taking their jobs. I don't see how - getting a job is not z 1-0 game. A "genuine" company posts a job requirement, and people attend interviews and get selected - either an American, or an Indian, or Chinese or from any other nationality. One one hand, employers are obliged to "not discriminate" based on race, color, ethnic backgrounds etc., and at the same time, US authorities look at H1B workers with scorn. Isn't this contradictory? Lets move away from the job scene for a moment and go into the classrooms of most US universities - in Masters program. How many Americans are there vs students from other countries? People from other countries, be it India or any other country, want to live American dream - which has been the foundation of America - and also accepted by Mr President. Then, isn't discriminating against H1B workers a contradiction in itself? If US really is so against H1B workers, then why is the H1B program still open? Can we come to the conclusion that US govt. is just trying to gather as much money as it can from H1B applicants and not heed to their sufferings? I agree there are loopholes in the legal system that many companies (or small consulting firms if you prefer) take advantage of. And this loophole emerges coz' H1B program tightly binds an employee to the employer. That is one of the possible causes of the mess. Also, people who come to study from foreign countries to US can't be 'ethically' expected to go back to their countries after they have spent almost 50 times their home currency and given it to the US schools and universities. Of course these students need to find a job here in the US to pay off their education loans etc. And most people looking for jobs on H1B are into software/IT and as I mentioned earlier, it is hard to see many Americans in these programs at US universities. So I don't understand why do people whine and cry that H1B workers are taking their jobs when it may not be the case. H1B jobs are not the only jobs in the US.
Another thing, there are talks in the news to 'legalize' people who are 'illegally' present. Now if there can be such a movement, why trouble H1B workers who, even if on bench, somehow manage to pay taxes and try their best to maintain their legal status in US as much as possible and of course suffering at hands of the employers during this process?
Some suggestions (only if someone could think logically) and so that all people can stay and work happily:
- make H1B portable so the employee is not tied to one employer (of course some constraints need to be enforce here so as to avoid unnecessary job switching)
- special working visa category should be incorporated into the system for people who have got their degrees from US institutions (H1B has Masters quota but other than that it is still a regular H1B)
- improve the processing of GC processing for pending applications

Check out my story @
http://fraudatapextgi.blogspot.com/

I am amazed at the audacity and hypocrisy of these racist bastards. Because of these Indian techies, the US economy saw its growth in the 90s. You guys should thank these people - it is because of the economic boom they created, you have your job at all in the first place. If you don't, talk to Bush - he destroyed the economy.
Have you guys even thought before you started whining what would happen to the US companies that sell their stuff in India? Lets say the Indians started crying like you guys and decided to scrap all orders made out to Boeing? Guess who gets his ass kicked out of the plant in Seattle?
Guess what else? Indian techies do a better job than you guys without being cry-babies like you. Thats why they dominate the tech market; and they will continue to dominate the tech market. So either be a cry-baby and keep up racist rancor; or get an education and learn the trade to compete or just SHUT UP!

I think that Business Week deserves a big raspberry for allowing you pursue this story.

The silliness of responses in this thread amply demonstrate the silliness of the entire premise, that the poor H1Bs are so mistreated. What nonsense, they never had it so good. $6 a day is good money in many of their countries of origin.

Why don't you write a story about the 500,000 American techies who have lost their jobs and sometimes their homes and families due the H1B program.

Many people around the world and many H1Bs ( such as our friend above ) say that Americans are not as smart as other people. Why prove it by writing and publishing this silly and fundamentally false story.

http://billbreitmayer.com/home/

Who cares about these people. They are not legal and lived in worse conditions. Most important they are taking jobs form Americans. Wake up people and stop worrying about the wrong things!Only American citizens should be employed in our country. Politicians allow the border to remain wide open! Why do you think that is?Why? We put a man on the moon, but we have problems closing the border. Please think about that. H1b go back home if you want to complain!

Please do not just focus on IT..

I graduated with an BS in Electrical Engineering from Silicon Valley and it is worthless. I have no experience... I can't even get an interview. I tried to apply for over 200 jobs.

Student visa programs from India come here and take all the jobs. What I don't get is.. students who do MS here should be sent back to India and have to come back as H1b..

Don't just give student visas a golden platter and make them H1bs here!!

How stupid can the system be?

As a result.. there are massive shortages in the engineering school enrollment.

Why would american kids like me study engineering if all the jobs are going to given to H1bs and STUDENT VISAS.

Now I can't get a job doing my passion.. EE... Do you have any idea how hard I studied ?
I blame the degradation of the American Economy and job loss of the high tech industry.. IT and Engineering on

H1bs and Student Visas..

I'd actually put student visas from India as the number one culprit.

I have seen my full time job being transformed by my employer to a consulting position. Result, all new employees are from India on H1B from those consulting companies. Do they do a better job. No! They are just much cheaper. Do I have the qualifications, Yes. Been in top schools, have always been able to solve complex problems and been recognized and with a Phd level..... Well, looks that my next job is going to be with a defense contractor at least we are still using US workers there....

what a joke from Jean!!! top schools....go figure..is that the community college or ITT tech you are talking about? I feel so sorry for you and good luck

This is the most ridiculous thread i have ever seen. First of all immigrants are not only from India or China. They are from Asia, Europe, South America etc etc.
American have to rise to the competition.

You can put the blame on all the immigrants as much as you want but the fact it All services have a rate that is fixed by the market. if you can do the job in that rate then so be it else you have to move on. That is the law of globalization.

I work for an MNC whose corporate Head office is in US. My Manager, Dept VP, Company Presidents, Group Presidents are all born American Citizen yet when we talk about cost in our streams they are first one to send the job oversees not even thinking if it makes sense.

America invented globalization for their benefit in the 90's. everything has a good side and a bad side and thats law of nature. you got the benefits in the 90's now watch out for the bad side.

Last 2 years American companies like Caterpillar, John Deere have been doing more business outside NA. if Globalization would not been their they would been almost on the same path as Chrysler, GM.

I have colleagues who still think the good old 70's and 80's but the fact is that the other countries are progressing at a much faster rate than the US. Accept this fact and Start working towards how to maintain it, otherwise in next 10 years you will have to say everything in past tense. Protectionism is not going help you at all.

its your choice, you can be innovative and fight it out, or you can blame on the entire immigrant community and go nowhere.

My 2 Cents.

I believe the argument on both sides is never-ending. What matters at the end is how does it effect the future generations and the quality of life around you. Definitely, foreign-born immigrants have created almost half of the start-ups. That leads to increased employment in US only (For ex: Administrative Office Staff which are US Citizens, Commercial Real Estate for your company which is based in US, Telecom Companies through which your companies phone lines operate, the Local Retail stores that provides general merchandise for your staff). The only thing foreign here is the IT Staff which might be on H-1B. But due to the presence of the IT Staff, you have prosperity all around for US Citizens/Companies that support the presence of these H-1B companies.

Secondly, they are skilled workers. Their's been hardly any criminal/unlawful activities by these people. They buy houses/rent apartments/lead a quiet life. They contribute much better than a lot of US Citizens. At the end, what are they stealing? jobs from a few US IT workers, who may or may not be more qualified then them? But don't they contribute so much to the well-being of the US Economy as a whole????

I invite you to take a ride down the cisco way in Santa Clara, CA (Silicon Valley) and see who is entering and leaving Cisco buildings. Majority are Indians.

A well known fact is that 70+% of jobs are secured through networking. More Indian's at work, mean more Indian's will be hired on.

But to those capitalists who think India will one day become importer of American goods and services. Just look and see what a typical Indian wears. Go to Airports and see how Indian's travel. More bags come in and less bags leave. Indian's are very nationalists and committed to their country's success.

India will soon offer its own software and hardware products and America will be left with no internal talent and forced to buy buy and buy.

The problem is that everyone in USA is only concern about quarterly pie charts and reports.