It allows bodyshops to hire people from, say, China and India and pay them a pittance
The H1B lets you transfer your visa very easily. The frustrating thing is that people aren't aware they can do it.
The H1B lets you transfer your visa very easily. The frustrating thing is that people aren't aware they can do it.
The nature of the country-based priority dates means that Chinese and Indian nationals wait years for the green card application is approved, during which time they (mostly) cannot move.
So if you're strictly on a H1B, yes, it's trivial to switch jobs. If you have a green card application in-process and aren't from China, India, or the Philippines, it's also pretty easy to move (you might have to wait a few months for the right moment). For people from the above three countries it's just pain and misery.