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Groups > sci.electronics.design > #446847

Re: H-1B Reform

From Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com>
Newsgroups sci.electronics.design
Subject Re: H-1B Reform
Date 2017-02-08 12:16 -0800
Message-ID <eg1ck8FigeeU1@mid.individual.net> (permalink)
References (7 earlier) <mesk9c5jnooc9edap9084pbnmusi0tfh6m@4ax.com> <eg0u3sFfedbU1@mid.individual.net> <frkm9c1d297p5r0stvsk6frus1qfvo5cgh@4ax.com> <eg14ugFgsgsU1@mid.individual.net> <qinm9cp2gp9cclbgl10rqltk0e1sqs2e5q@4ax.com>

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On 2017-02-08 10:13, krw@notreal.com wrote:
> On Wed, 08 Feb 2017 10:05:28 -0800, Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com>
> wrote:
>
>> On 2017-02-08 09:28, krw@notreal.com wrote:
>>> On Wed, 08 Feb 2017 08:08:51 -0800, Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 2017-02-07 17:21, krw@notreal.com wrote:
>>>>> On Tue, 07 Feb 2017 10:02:30 -0800, Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On 2017-02-07 09:18, krw@notreal.com wrote:
>>>>>>> On Tue, 07 Feb 2017 07:49:06 -0800, Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On 2017-02-06 17:26, krw@notreal.com wrote:
>>>>>>>>> On Mon, 06 Feb 2017 07:27:48 -0800, Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com>
>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On 2017-02-05 15:02, krw@notreal.com wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> [...]
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>                       ...  It really is impossible to find hundreds of
>>>>>>>>>>> contractors, quickly, in the US.  H1B contractors fill the crests in
>>>>>>>>>>> workload so the employee base is more stable (we have a number of
>>>>>>>>>>> contract EEs, too, but they're not H1Bs).
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> It's perfectly ok to use H1B contractors. However, they need to be paid
>>>>>>>>>> prevailing wage or higher and that must be _verified_ which is super
>>>>>>>>>> easy to do. I have suggested that all the time but it wasn't done. Now
>>>>>>>>>> it will be because the new administration seems to understand some stuff
>>>>>>>>>> that previous ones didn't.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> The H1Bs at my CPoE aren't paid the same as employees, sure, but they
>>>>>>>>> don't have the same responsibilities, either.  They're basically code
>>>>>>>>> jockeys.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Once they have to start paying them $130k/year each they will probably
>>>>>>>> find Americans for that job, and fast. There are plenty of un- or
>>>>>>>> under-employed coders around.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> No, they'd just move *all* jobs overseas.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sure, that can happen. Then we need to find out why we cannot perform
>>>>>> these design tasks here and do something about it.
>>>>>
>>>>> We can (do), if the government would let it alone.  My job has been
>>>>> "off-shored" from somewhere else.  Do you want to stop that, too?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Of course not. Moving design tasks to where the talent is has always
>>>> been a smart idea. Same if you can obtain sufficiently good results at a
>>>> lower cost. In a world economy every region has to compete against
>>>> another. Competiton is a good thing. What each region should, therefore,
>>>> do is level the playing field.
>>>
>>> OK, so you want to leave the *foreign* US jobs here but don't want to
>>> import *any* foreign workers to fill short-term positions, even if
>>> they're paid similarly to (unavailable) locals, for the same skills.
>>
>>
>> Huh? Where did I ever say that?
>
> You've been arguing for the elimination of the H1B.


Where did I ever say that? Please quote.


>   ... What other conclusion could one come to?


That maybe you were wrong and I never said that. Because I didn't.

>>
>>> You want to export *all* of those salaries.  You want your cake and
>>> eat it too.  Got it.
>>>
>>>>> Getting rid of H1Bs is a good way to do it.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> They would still use your design team if they can't get the results locally.
>>>
>>> They were doing it at home but it makes sense to do it closer to the
>>> customer.  If the job is made more difficult to do here, it won't be.
>>> That's the bottom line (for all business decisions).
>>>
>>
>> Sure. That should always be made possible. It's got nothing to do with
>> H1B, that is simply having a foreign design center.
>
> Of course it does.  H1Bs are a "necessary evil" for the business to
> exist here.
>

If the only way to get their designs done he is the inclusion of H1B 
specialists they should not have a problem paying the required wages, 
should they?


>>>>>>>> H1B was meant to obtain special talent that could not be found in the US
>>>>>>>> or where we simply don't have enough engineers, not for hiring scores of
>>>>>>>> cheap programmers. Now it will (hopefully) revert to that original intent.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "Special" has lots of meanings.  The restriction is that the job is
>>>>>>> unfillable with resident labor.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Why are they unfillable?
>>>>>
>>>>> Because not enough people want a three or six month programming job
>>>>> with no chance of direct hire.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I have met lots of people who do. Also, that still beats being unable to
>>>> make a good living or being stuck in some cheap apartment.
>>>
>>> But they *will* be stuck in a cheap apartment.  That's the nature of
>>> short-term contract work.  BTDT.
>>>
>>
>> It is not. I do this for a living. So why am I not stuck in a cheap
>> apartment?
>
> You work from home.  That's not going to be done with low-level
> programming or verification jobs.  <sheesh>


Well, we got that done successfully, several times. Over one ocean plus 
some land.


>>
>>>> For me, having shorter term stints (until a project is complete) is fun.
>>>> It provides a smorgasbord of tasks for me which are all different. Just
>>>> as I want it. There are not many hardware engineers who feel that way
>>>> but many programmers do.
>>>
>>> They simply don't want to move for short-term work.  You don't have to
>>> because they come to you.  Different kettle.
>>
>>
>> It can be the same for programmers. They just have to become good enough
>> so people either come to them or are willing to do it remotely. We live
>> in a high-cost country and the only way to keep a decent job, temporary
>> or not, is by becoming good enough at what one is doing.
>
> No, it can't.  These are low-level coding and test jobs.  You know,
> that sort of cruft you won't do?
>

Sometimes it is necessary to come out there and do it locally. Nothing 
wrong with that, I've done that as well. Get a room at a hotel or some 
extended-stay accommodation. You can still have a home to come home to. 
You do not have to live your lief out of a suitcase.

>>
>> Example: The programmer for one of the projects I am involved in lives
>> and works in his own home about 7000 miles from here. It works. Another
>> works from his home about 3-4 miles from here and has mostly West Coast
>> clients. Whenever we have to work together I usually go there by
>> mountain bike. Even if we could get a certain task done remotely I
>> sometimes rode (and did not bill my client for that travel time) because
>> it's fun and healthy.
>
> We have a DSP engineer who lives in Montana, too.  Completely
> different issue.  You can't do that with a team of hundres of
> short-time transients.


I don't know your product but we have done exactly that with complicated 
medical equipment design. In one rather extreme case there were half a 
dozen local engineers and a dozen external ones. It ended up completely 
blowing a competitor out of the water.

>>>>>>
>>>>>> For certain high-skill or niche jobs it is certainly true. WRT
>>>>>> programmers what I hear is more like the first part of this article,
>>>>>> they are heaving trouble finding enough gigs or employment:
>>>>>
>>>>> But they don't want to move for short term employment, either.
>>>>
>>>> There are more people than you think who abhor office politics and
>>>> prefer freelancing just because of that.
>>>
>>> It's *NOT* freelancing.  It's contract work.  You're still working for
>>> an employer.  Two, in fact.
>>>
>>
>> If people feel like not marketing their skills themselves then they have
>> to live with the middleman company. I never did and never will.
>
> Good grief.  The job has to be done.  We can't just waive a stick and
> make a low-level coding job a high-level architect's job (though the
> US education system is trying).
>

Then just "rent" the coders. There are plenty of US-based ones and if 
needed they come out there. If it has to be H1B pay them accordingly and 
all is good. What I am squarely against is abusing H1B to obtain cheap 
indentured labor.

-- 
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

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Thread

H-1B Reform bloggs.fredbloggs.fred@gmail.com - 2017-01-31 08:16 -0800
  Re: H-1B Reform George Herold <gherold@teachspin.com> - 2017-01-31 09:15 -0800
  Re: H-1B Reform Martin Riddle <martin_rid@verizon.net> - 2017-01-31 20:11 -0500
    Re: H-1B Reform Spehro Pefhany <speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> - 2017-01-31 22:49 -0500
    Re: H-1B Reform dakupoto@gmail.com - 2017-02-04 22:52 -0800
      Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-05 07:23 -0800
        Re: H-1B Reform krw@notreal.com - 2017-02-05 18:02 -0500
          Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-06 07:27 -0800
            Re: H-1B Reform krw@notreal.com - 2017-02-06 20:26 -0500
              Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-07 07:49 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform krw@notreal.com - 2017-02-07 12:18 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-07 10:02 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform krw@notreal.com - 2017-02-07 20:21 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-08 08:08 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform krw@notreal.com - 2017-02-08 12:28 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-08 10:05 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform krw@notreal.com - 2017-02-08 13:13 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-08 12:16 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform krw@notreal.com - 2017-02-08 20:13 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-09 07:19 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform Phil Hobbs <pcdhSpamMeSenseless@electrooptical.net> - 2017-02-08 13:42 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-08 12:06 -0800
        Re: H-1B Reform rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2017-02-06 03:18 -0500
          Re: H-1B Reform bill.sloman@ieee.org - 2017-02-06 03:17 -0800
          Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-06 07:51 -0800
            Re: H-1B Reform makolber@yahoo.com - 2017-02-06 10:08 -0800
              Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-06 10:11 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform Lasse Langwadt Christensen <langwadt@fonz.dk> - 2017-02-06 12:53 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-06 13:22 -0800
              Re: H-1B Reform Tom Gardner <spamjunk@blueyonder.co.uk> - 2017-02-06 20:36 +0000
              Re: H-1B Reform Neon John <no@never.com> - 2017-02-08 17:20 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform krw@notreal.com - 2017-02-08 20:14 -0500
            Re: H-1B Reform rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2017-02-06 19:36 -0500
              Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-07 08:02 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform Phil Hobbs <pcdhSpamMeSenseless@electrooptical.net> - 2017-02-07 17:01 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2017-02-07 20:33 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-08 08:18 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2017-02-08 17:02 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-08 14:36 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2017-02-08 21:12 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-09 07:42 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform Neon John <no@never.com> - 2017-02-09 11:02 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-09 10:36 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform Phil Hobbs <pcdhSpamMeSenseless@electrooptical.net> - 2017-02-09 14:34 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-09 12:27 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform Phil Hobbs <pcdhSpamMeSenseless@electrooptical.net> - 2017-02-09 15:33 -0500
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-09 12:40 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform bill.sloman@ieee.org - 2017-02-09 17:58 -0800
        Re: H-1B Reform Tom Gardner <spamjunk@blueyonder.co.uk> - 2017-02-06 17:10 +0000
          Re: H-1B Reform Lasse Langwadt Christensen <langwadt@fonz.dk> - 2017-02-06 09:24 -0800
            Re: H-1B Reform Tom Gardner <spamjunk@blueyonder.co.uk> - 2017-02-06 18:05 +0000
              Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-06 10:18 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform Tom Gardner <spamjunk@blueyonder.co.uk> - 2017-02-06 20:41 +0000
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-06 13:31 -0800
                Re: H-1B Reform Tom Gardner <spamjunk@blueyonder.co.uk> - 2017-02-06 22:05 +0000
                Re: H-1B Reform Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2017-02-06 14:56 -0800
      Re: H-1B Reform mixed nuts <melopsitticus@undulatus.budgie> - 2017-02-05 10:32 -0500
        Re: H-1B Reform Jeroen Belleman <jeroen@nospam.please> - 2017-02-05 19:15 +0100
          Re: H-1B Reform mixed nuts <melopsitticus@undulatus.budgie> - 2017-02-05 23:06 -0500
            Re: H-1B Reform bill.sloman@ieee.org - 2017-02-06 03:24 -0800

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