H1B’s

I was going through an article on Businessweek regarding how stricter H1B laws are going to affect the US in the long run and how the program is actually a scam for replacing American jobs. To be very honest, I feel the latter is true.

3 years ago while I was in the US, applying for a job as a Business Analyst, I was contacted by a consulting company located in Herndon, VA. whose name I do not remember. They had invited me for an interview at their office. When I reached address provided, it turned out to be an apartment complex. As I entered the given apartment, I could see the living room lined up with about 5-6 workstations, 2 bedrooms occupied by 3-4 people. I was told that the living room served as a training center, where consultants are given training. I gave my resume to the interviewer. He went through it and asked me simple questions about C++ regarding pointers etc. He then called up a project manager who then asked me a few more questions which were even more simpler. Then the interviewer suggested that we change my resume a bit. I had sent him a soft copy earlier and he started modifying the same. He showed me my “modified” resume when he was done. I was shocked. He had added skills which I didnt possess. I told him, I don’t have the skills which you have mentioned here. He was like thats ok, we will train you for 30 days, provide you accommodation here and pay you $50K. I told him I needed time to think. After that, I never contacted that firm again.

I agree that H1B visas are abused. They not only displace American citizens but also lower the wage of existing work force. I am not saying this because I didn’t get a H1B, but because it is true. Instead of becoming the back-office of the world (somehow we are so proud of this), why cant we be the innovators? Why can’t we design the next generation of computers, airplanes etc? Why do companies like Wipro, TCS, Infosys depend so much on back-office work? I think with such attitude, we will never be a first world country.