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Comment by untog | Hacker News Reader

You wanted to hire someone on a visa - not a US citizen.

US citizen or not, they'll be paying US tax. As it is, the country has lost out on potential tax income from those employees.

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Not only that, the US lost their contribution to the local economy: they won't buy groceries, pay landlords or buy from the local car dealership. There is a huge missed opportunity there.

I just don't get why the US wouldn't want qualified workers to get in the US. Singapore had this lesson learned well.

Disclaimer: I'm on H1B myself.

People completely miss this about immigrant workers (I use the term in a positive way). Tax generation, local spending etc.

Your point is correct. But hiring a US citizen would be better for the country because not only would there be the potential tax income but the savings from lower unemployment.

While I agree that hiring a US citizen would be better for the country and I'm certain that all talented US citizens have jobs or are creating more jobs (through startups). But, I think there is merit in attracting top talent from other countries and retaining them as well (who in turn contribute to the economy).

How many talented developers are out of work in the US right now? Particularly in somewhere like the Bay area, where this startup would be based.

> How many talented developers are out of work in the US right now? Particularly in somewhere like the Bay area,

0, which is why salaries and rents are incredibly high.

The Bay area might be short on developers but I know there are talented developers in other states that are unemployed or underemployed. So Colombia is ok but Nebraska is not?

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