India and the H1-B Issue

Posted by Jim Stroud

February 9, 2006

If you are hiring foreign nationals and H1-B visas are an issue for you, check out this interesting comment from a ex-Microsoftie.

“This morning I chatted with a friend in India who runs a software development house there. They were recently bought by a US firm. That US firm can now apply for the easier to obtain L1B visa for itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s new employees. Apparently this is going on all over India. According to my friend, there are very few small software houses left in India. TheyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve all become American subsidiaries. ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s a win for everyone. The quality of life for the Indian employees is improving (his bill out rate is now nearly twice the rate it was before the buyout), the US firm has acquired a pool of inexpensive talent without the expense and difficulty of recruiting in India, and they are now able to import the individuals they wish to the US at will.

The only person who doesnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t win in this, really, is the American taxpayer. A certain percentage of those jobs which might have become US jobs, are now more likely to stay Indian jobs.”

Want more? Read: H1B Problem Solved