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Some possible impacts:

1) Drives up wages to the point where an H1B couple can contain one non-working spouse. Not bad.

2) Causes H1B applicants to skew towards younger folks without families, reducing housing pressure. Not bad.

3) Causes H1B recipients to marry citizens at slightly higher rates and more quickly assimilate, especially in the second+ generation. Call it a wash.

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1. Might not happen in the probably the next decade. Earning 200k+ in Bay Area is common and still hard to live on a single salary. What should an engineer do to make it go to 400k? 2. So, you want experienced, well trained experts in their respective fields to leave the country and go elsewhere after the companies spend so much on their younger selves? 3. This would be a small minority whatever happens. After growing up in a country with a completely different culture for ~25 years, a sudden shift in a small timeframe is not expected.

1. "Hey boss, I need a raise." "How much?" "Enough to cover my spouse's income or I have to quit." Seems compelling.

2. I didn't say anything about current recipients. Just commented on how it may impact new applicants and the housing market.

3. Demographics change slowly.

Realistically how can 200k+ be hard to live on?

It's not hard to live on. But, you mostly don't save anything or you might take a long time to buy a house.

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