The bill introduced by Senators Chuck Grassley and Dick Durbin Given Thursday would require US firms looking for skilled foreign professionals to make a "good faith" attempt to employ Americans first before seeking foreign workers.
Indian professionals followed by those from China account for the maximum number of H-1Bs visa designed to bring highly skilled professionals here. L1 B visas are for skilled workers. However, the recession and fears of restrictive legislation has already dampened enthusiasm for these visas.
Despite an extension of date twice, only 44,000 H-1B visa applications have been received against the existing cap of 65,000.
"Our bill will put a stop to the outsourcing of American jobs and discrimination against American workers," Durbin said. "The H-1B visa programme should complement the US workforce, not replace it."
The bill would prohibit the practice of 'H-1B only' ads and prevents employers from hiring additional H-1B and L1 guest workers if over 50 percent of their employees are H-1B and L1 visa holders, Grassley said.
It would also empower to the Department of Labour to investigate, audit and penalise abuse of H-1B and L1 visa employers.
However, Grassley said the bill does not eliminate the programme or change the numerical cap of visas available to petitioning employers.
"The H-1B programme was never meant to replace qualified American workers. It was meant to complement them because of a shortage of workers in specialised fields. In tough economic times like we're seeing, it's even more important that we do everything possible to see that Americans are given every consideration when applying for jobs," he said.
If there are not qualified Americans, companies can use the legal immigration programmes available, "but we must return the H-1B and L visa programmes back to their original intent," Grassley said.
Durbin said the H-1B visa programme is currently being used by some companies to outsource American jobs to foreign countries.
Grassley and Durbin were mainly instrumental in the passage of a law early this year to stop hiring of foreign workers by US companies receiving the federal bailout funds.
-IANS
HUH!!!
Will this give back all the work or economy to the americans who lost their job. Is it just because of the foreign immigrants which is causing huge economy loss. It's really crazy. If you put together all foreign workers hardly there will be 65,000 where in trillion of americans.
Tough on fraud and abuse - not foreign workers
The proposed regulations are tough on fraud and abuse. The only people opposed to the regulations seem to be Indian offshoring firms.
It's just common sense to require that the H-1b visa live up to the spirit of the law. The visa was never intended to be a means to replace American workers and offshore work, yet that is what it has become. This legislation if passed will close loopholes and make the program more in the spirit of what the creators of it intended.
This is not an issue of trade. H-1b visas will still be available to companies that work within the spirit of the law. True shortages will still be filled.
Just a thought
So a total count of mere 65,000 professionals are responsible for millions of job losses in US!! Makes me wonder.. If just 65,000 professionals could replace millions of American's work --> implies a double headed prong. Jus cant stop imagining. hmm..
No more cheap labor for employers
We need to organize and support a pro-sovereignty, anti-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION protest, similar to the African-American one million man march in 1995, on the fortress Washington, DC. There are hundreds of irate American out there, comprised of Seniors, veterans, workers, single mothers and countless others who have had enough of being intentionally ignored. No politician is going to take any American or Legal resident seriously, until all the organization who believe in the word of the US Constitution, Bill of rights move en-masse on this morons who are supposed to represent us on Capitol hill. Most are out for themselves, and don't care that illegal foreign labor is taking American jobs, that as a people we have to genuflect to Health Insurance companies. We need to let Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) and all the Senators who have no interest working for the American people, who themselves are well provided for by the business community. As they have generous federal health insurance, they don't need to go cap-in-hand, requesting health care. While foreign nationals walk into the nearest hospital with out payment or immigration papers and receive services. Americans on the other hand must show SS number, drivers license , so that the debt collectors can chase them down for payment.
Ask you Senator or Congressman how they would vote to support E-Verify, Real ID act or the local police enforcement law 247(g). Ask them why we need a new Immigration reform law, when we already have the 1986 Immigration reform & Control Act, that only needs amendments? Ask them why this law was never enforced? Demand they support E-Verify and other laws and not weaken their power. E-Verify should be made permanent and any employer who violates that law, should be severely fined, business assets confiscated and end up in prison. Tell them your be watching them from now on, especially when it's time to vote. We cannot afford to lay-back anymore as the consequences are OVERPOPULATION. Loss of Americas sovereignty! A nation that is losing its cultural, language and spiritual identity.
Sounds really the one
Sounds really the one dimensional way of thinking to me. The so called America which exists now was formed only because of the immigrants and colonists. Very few are REAL Americans!
If the case if viewed in your point, let the whole world avoid buying American products, American s/w, etc. Stop getting your imports to their nation which is actually DRIVING THE PEOPLE OF OTHER COUNTRY TO NOT COMPETE and develop. Or else atleast limit the amount American companies can reap from other nations. How does this idea sound? Good??? Keep all your money but the whole world is indeed happy and content without it! Come to Africa and look into the living there.
Now that other counties have started to improve due to IT boom, your country wants them to never develop. WHAT A HYPOCRITIC SENSE!
Grow up! Know that your country can develop only when you develop with all other nations! Open Source.. Free trade.. WIN WIN for everyone. IF you want your job improve your skills.
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