US senator asks Microsoft about job cuts, H1B visas
According to Reuters: “A U.S. senator has asked Microsoft Corp about its plans to slash up to 5,000 jobs, urging the world’s biggest software company to preserve the jobs of Americans ahead of foreigners working on visas.”
“The letter asked Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer to provide a breakdown of the jobs to be eliminated, and how many of those are individuals with H-1B visas and how many are Americans. Grassley also wants to know what the breakdown will be when the layoffs are complete.”
“I am concerned that Microsoft will be retaining foreign guest workers rather than similarly qualified American employees when it implements its layoff plan [...] Microsoft has a moral obligation to protect these American workers by putting them first during these difficult economic times”, said Sen. Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican.
We should penalized all the outsourcers and h1b visa users with huge unemployment taxes. Let’s make protectionism synonymous with patriotism. What kind of a dumb ass doesn’t want to protect his family, job, home, country, etc???
Bill Gates’ mother barks and his wife sux green donkey dix.
But don’t worry. When unemployment hits 13% (like in Spain) we will send all the indians back where they came from.
Maybe its time for another boston tea party.
DEY TURK UR JAWB! (They took our jobs):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2fGl9587X8
Someone shud comment on ppl coming on student Visa from other countries, spending lot of money on education, ultimatley tht money is going to Govt. in form of Taxes etc. Wht wrong if tht student applies for H1 in this country and want to work.??????
#53, nothing’s wrong, while unemployment rate is low. Otherwise, US workers should have priority anytime.
Plus, I would vote for introducing per-country cap for H1 visas. This per-country cap exists for employment based green cards and, I believe, should exist for H1 visas too.
Also, DOL should issue more strict requirements for companies who sponsor H1 visas: they really should demonstrate good efforts in searching for domestic worker before they are allowed to hire H1. IMO.
A student paying full tutition does not cover the cost of his education. Every international student at a state funded institution costs the state’s taxpayers money. To add injury to insult (turn about intended) is that internationmal students displace state residents at universities, particularly the flagship universities - such as the Berkley and Texas - which are limiting the enrollment of fully qualified, US citizen or LPR state residents.
A student entering the US on a student visa must demostrate ties to their home country and their desire to return home. Any student entering the US on a student visa who remains has lied about his intentions.
As for the OPT and CPT programs, few people realize that neither the students nor the employers participating in these programs have to social security and Medicare taxes on the wages paid to OPT and CPT workers. This significant finacial advantage to the employers is costing USC and LPR citizens entry level job opportunities. Nearly 10% of twentysomethings are looking for work; far more recent college grads are looking for jobs in their fields. Some of this is a result of out student worker and guest worker policies.
Our immigration policy is destroying opportunities for Americans. The irony is that many immigrants who first entered using these programs are finding themshelves now as USCs or LPRs displaced by guest workers and the childern displaced by foreign students.
I am a H1 and i will point few facts.
Most of the hiring decisions are done by American managers. They deffenetly look for talent .Even If you fake it you wont last a week here. Many people here dont notice but when a company has to layoff it mostly laysoff the unproductive (could be h1 too).I know some people can exploit this situation to keep someone cheap but its a short term strategy which always fails. Microsoft is laying off its Windows live project which is a waste of money and there is nothing wrong with that. But to fire h1b’s only is poking your nose into thier business. A citizen naturally has higher ground when it comes to number of jobs .The high end managers or good architects are always on demand even “now” .so i think getting more skill’s in this ever changing world makes your job secure than playing the citizen only card. Seriously why will a sane manager remove a good (well spoken) citizen to some forginer.Get real outsourcing is real and it will just grow soon china will also join the party with its all english curiculum Then you have a billion more to complain.
American workforce is damn costly and its capitalism which made american companies conquer far corners of the world and its capitalism which shifts the jobs elsewhere . America has always adapted to it and profited and both these qualities are two sides of a coin you cant cherry pick one. deal with it our jobs in future will be even more effected due to globalisation u can make the best of it or worst of it.
The father of all problems is the existence of frontiers, borders and countries. If it weren’t for those, wealth would not be a right only for those who were born next to it. All wars happen because of money, money that’s in the wrong side of the fence. And here we are, slamming each other because one was born here and another chose to move here later. I know it’s very difficult, but let’s try to get away from the whole “patriotism” thing. Some of you blame the H1-Bs as the source of all evil. I dare to say patriotism is the source of all evil. Praised and taught in every school, the patriotism generates in the person a very bad sense of entitlement and one of the worst forms of prejudice. That statement by this Iowa Senator is prejudice at its peak. I can’t believe he did not go to jail for this. What about equal opportunity employment that the US are so proud about? The Senator is promoting exactly the opposite: save the Americans, fire the unworthy that were born elsewhere. Is this one world or what? Think about it.
#58: hmmm…. Yes, there are equal opportunities, BUT not for foreigners. Means, all people are equal, but some of them MORE equal than others. This is NORMAL and exists in EVERY country in this damned world. Try to get work in European Union not being an EU citizen. Try to get first job in Canada, even if you have PR, but don’t have “canadian experience”. You need to look for another planet, probably.
America can get profit by selling Coke-Pepsi,iPod,Microsoft OS in other countries,by destroying countries,killing people that is justified…americans are very happy with that. Who has given the right to americans to enter in others territory…these bulshit guys should be banned in whole world…to hell with MS,
This post is just great: http://layoffblog.com/2009/02/05/senate-bill-would-bar-h-1b-hiring-at-firms-receiving-bailout-money/#comment-1623
This is a useless talk whether to curb Non-americans to work in america. The fact is, if American govt curbs non-american to work in america, then the whole economic system will ruin, as the economic infrastructure of USA is managed by non-americans. There is no need of removing H1B or other VISA holders, if americans have enough competencies, they can fight. It is always said ” Survival of the fittest”
Yes, American jobs should be given to Americans and not to foreigners. All American companies and banks should do their business in US. They should not sell anything to any other country, not admit any foreigners to their universities, should send back all those who migrated from different parts of the world and leave this land of opportunity to it’s natives - the aborigines.
Guys, grow up!, this is the global world and everything effects everybody here. Your banks and banks everywhere else have taken toll on lives of citizens whom not even their governments support.
BTW, I am not a US PR, HR,greencard holder. Just observing this tread and how people of this great land spit venom in the times of crisis.
US citizens should work for what they want. If they don’t want to lose their job to an alien they should equally work hard. It’s hard enough for an alien to come to US, find a job, and get some work experience before going back home. Why make things even more harder for them? It’s not as easy as you guys put it to be! We work really hard to earn the job (if you’re thinking otherwise i.e). Equality is important. Don’t you think there is a reason why managers hire H1B workers. They probably feel they are much more likely to stick to the company, be loyal and work better. If US citizens stopped changing jobs so often and stopped partying every week, they might just have a better chance?
Someone mentioned it is important to raise the H1b quota.In my personal opinion,it doesn’t make sense to raise quota. It is very important to *REFORM* the H1b system so that folks on H1b visa don’t have to leave the country when they’re laid off .It is also important to make them less dependent on their employers to prevent abuse.
Currently,too many are here who are not able to do what they want or they’re working well below their capabilities because of limitations of the H1b system.
There are a few things the government can do:
* Give them green cards after they pay taxes for a certain number of years.
* Allow them independence after they work for an employer for a certain period.
* Allow them to start a business or a company, invent or create technology while being on a work visa. Currently,it is not possible due to limitations of the H1b visa system.
* Allow them to stay and change jobs if they’re laid off.
The h1-b visa system is broken. It needs to be repaired urgently.The H1b system is designed in a such a way that it is against them and it is a “take it or leave it” visa. Please don’t forget that H1bs are REAL people LIVING in America and they deserve to be treated under the laws of constitution which apply to citizens.It doesn’t matter whether they are citizens are not .They are living in America and are part of the community wherever they are.Most Americans don’t really get this.You know what, Most Americans are psyched that they have freedom and they don’t realize that H1b folks don’t have any freedom. Why are you content with the system? Do you want to have double standards for yourself and others?
There are many other countries such as Germany which are highly attractive for Engineers. One advantage of Germany is that German government doesn’t treat its engineers or workers (citizens or not) as commodities and throw them away when they’re laid off. Everyone in Germany is protected by laws, whether they’re citizens or not.
President Obama mentioned he is going to reform the system and allow skilled workers to get permanent residence.We’ll have to wait and see.
Everyone on H1b visa and supporters of H1b visas might consider the above suggestions and write to your local senators , goverment officials with suggestions for H1b visa reform.
Please. The Redmond area has become Asia Micro. The H-1s are cheaper, so you can bet they will be the last grunts to go. Microsoft will NEVER comply with Grassley’s request. Microsoft doesn’t give a hoot about anything but the bottom line. Like many companies, they started off with a good idea, capitalized on it and now THEY are the “old fart.” That goodness Google, Apple, FOSS, and more focused software companies making much better software (e.g. Salesforce) will leave them in the dust as a dinosaur. Think about it, with their 90K employees they still can’t create a decent search-engine, not to mention one that is better than Google. And now with the blistering Apple Safari 4, I think IE will be fighting for its life. This is a sweet story to my ears.
Yeah, keep the H-1s to create the crap.
I was laidoff at MS and I could not believe the number of H1B idiots running around. Half of them could not speak for shit or form a proper English sentence! I’ve wasted more time hand holding these idiots through projects when I could be getting real work done. When I hear people talk about how we need foriegn talent I think of what a waste of time. There’s plenty of Americans with talent, the problem in the past was that availability of American talent was slim since they were all WORKING… well, the times have changed, and it’s time we invest in our own god forsaken country - our people!!
You missed the one key component. it is not about the skill level of the person .. it is 100% about the cost .. I work for IBM and we are continously laying off US ibm’rs in favor of CHEAP indians, chinese, costa ricans, brazilians etc .. If this is not turned around then this country is doomed..
I was just going through all the posts .Looks like there is lot of hatred among Americans towards Indians and others taking up jobs in America using H1B. I feel that if Americans want to protect jobs for themselves then American companies should not do business with the world .They should pull out businesses from other countries and only concentrate doing business with ppl in America .Because if you want business of all other countries then you also should have the patience to tolerate people who would come to your country and take up your jobs.
to be realistic, most companies(American or foreign) lay off people based on
works done
ratio = ———– + coefficient * personalities
cost
if a person is laid off, either because his/her ratio is low. or because he/she is unlucky(he/she was in a project/group that is not important any longer).
To lay off a person only based on citizenship is stupid and naive.
Sue!
No company wants to deal with a lawsuit!
I want to report a scam organized by one of the Vice President of Hitachi Consulting and will appreciate any help you could provide. In this economic recession where we have job losses; the Vice President of Hitachi Consulting by name of Roberto Kristen has managed to hire his brother Lincoln Kristen on H1B visa for Hitachi Consulting few months back. Further, Lincoln Kristen hired as Senior Manager is working as a Technical Lead on a project in Naperville, IL at Eby-Brown Company. This job of Technical Lead was originally handled by citizen of USA who had more skill set than Lincoln Kristen in the required Technology. Lincoln Kristen has very little knowledge in the Technology for which he is Technical Lead. Also, Roberto Kristen from his network has parted with another company to fill H1B workers/programmers in various roles on Hitachi Consulting projects. Please help.
As for as tax is concern H1B visa worker also pay tax.So it’s not correct to say only Americans pay taxes.
I guess main problem with American is their life style. what they earn they spend it so they when they have any kind of emergency(health,accident etc) they don’t have money backup to support them thats why credit issue came in picture and causing slow down.