Reply #307: Sure... but the problem is when we use H1B instead of locals for standard [View All]

[politicat]

process.

Look, I don't have a problem with bringing in people from other places to do software here, as long as they are the best available. (They put the money right back into the economy and it's all good.)

I do have a problem with bringing in inferior outsiders when we have our own inferior programmers. (Oh... that doesn't sound right, does it? *grin*) Rephrase: I have a problem with bringing in international workers to do jobs that local workers can do. This area has a 14% unemployment or underemployment rate for tech professionals and these jobs weren't even offered locally. That is totally not acceptable, and while it's a corporate culture issue at the remaining nameless big hardware/software firm in the area, it's a corporate culture issue everywhere.

I know for a fact we have people in the area that could do the job that aren't working. And they'd do it for 40K ... but they have to have health insurance and FICA and SS matching and... and... all of the things that a foreign company doesn't have to have. They cost more. Therefore, even though they are better at what they do, they are not acceptable.

I do want R&D to stay here, but R&D will be where the junior programmers are... in about 3 years after the junior programmers start out. It takes about 3 years for a junior programmer to learn to be a Developer. And then... the R&D jobs will follow and what will we have then? Nothing.

Politicat