‘It’s all about wage suppression, cheap labour’: The H-1B hiring controversy exposes a shocking question about who really gets America’s tech jobs!

The H-1B visa debate for long has presented an attractive dichotomy, pitting the interests of American workers against those of companies who wish to employ foreign talent. However, the equation is not that simple, because in many cases the jobs that have to be filled by H-1B Visas are highly specialised and require specific software, engineering or scientific knowledge.

So, if the companies cannot find local workers to fill those jobs, their only choice is to hire foreign professionals.

Recently a user posted on Reddit: “Why are H1B visas accused of stealing American jobs when the data shows most H1B visa-holders work in STEM jobs while most Americans graduate with non-STEM degrees?.”

The answer to these questions is not as simple as “there are not enough people with science degrees”. It is essential to understand what kind of recruitment practices the employers have, how much they pay, what skills do they look for in candidates, and how hard it is to find workers to fill positions. All those factors and many others contribute to the perception of the H-1B Visa program as an unfair way to recruit employees.

The main point of controversy of this particular topic, however, is rooted in the idea that foreign workers fill jobs that could be given to locals. Many H-1B Visa holders work in STEM fields, while American graduates tend to pursue other careers. While it could seem that those workers have nothing in common with the jobs available in the STEM fields, there is a distinct possibility that they can acquire the necessary skills to fill those positions.

It is important to recognise opportunities a degree offers to an individual, rather than focusing on the specifics of the program. For instance, if a person graduates from an English department and learns programming, they may be able to apply for a job as a software developer. A Computer Science graduate, on the other hand, may not be interested in developing software altogether. The employers, in turn, are not interested in the degrees that the candidates have, unless the educational background contributes to a better understanding of the demands of the position.

In the same Reddit discussion, one participant stated: “Because they fraudulently hide jobs from US applicants and offer them to H1Bs to pay lower wages. In theory H1B is fine – you're supposed to use it if you have no Americans available. In practice it's just visa fraud.”

Another person described their own experience: “I am the only non H1-B on my team. What they are paid is criminal. It’s all about wage suppression, cheap labor, yada yada yada.”

Someone else wrote: “Americans aren't getting STEM degrees because they are being undersold to foreigners with h-1b visas. It's really that simple.”

Nationality does not necessarily dictate wage rates, and no legislation allows businesses to completely disregard the financial needs of American employees in favour of foreign workers.

When organisations utilise the H-1B Visa program, they have to pay either the prevailing wage or the actual wage, whichever is higher. According to the Department of Labor, the wage paid to an H-1B employee should not be lower than the highest wage for the occupation in the area. In practice, however, it is possible that employers pay lower wages to the H-1B Visa holders and get away with it.

As per the comments of various people on the post, it is necessary to acknowledge that a company might be following the unethical and illegal practices of suppressing wages, but without any concrete evidence.

The issue cannot be decided with reference to the fact that many H-1B are employed in STEM fields or that many American students graduate from non-STEM fields of higher education. While it is true, these considerations only highlight the situation between different types of workers, thus showing some details of the problem but not the entire picture.

The H-1B visa program should be seen in the context of balancing the interests of the American workforce against the need for diversity and access to talent. However, there is also a risk of abuse and oppression of America’s domestic labor market, which requires a careful analysis of each particular case to ensure that there is no exploitation of immigrants who are often stated to be in a vulnerable position.