Bright foreigners like to study in America. Shame they can’t stay | Hacker News Reader

Bright foreigners like to study in America. Shame they can’t stay

economist.com

17 points_eqet15 comments

That's what happens when we don't hire americans to fill american jobs. When we depend on foreigners because they are less expensive and more loyal, we suffer for it. How many STEM majors are out of work now, yet people are complaining that we don't have enough H1Bs? and that we don't convert those H1Bs into immigrant visas? What happens when they too get better say in their jobs, unionize, and finally get laid off... will we just go about our business and hire more foreigners on a legally temporary basis? We'll have so many homeless that it would be ridiculous to even consider public welfare.

I'm in software and if I could hire more American engineers, I would. It's not about the cost for my company, it's about the availability of skilled talent and American schools aren't producing nearly enough of it. We've been hiring overseas for nearly a decade and unfortunately I don't see that changing anytime soon. More H1Bs would at least let us bring those great guys over here, which would make my company more successful and would obviate the need for us to send millions of dollars abroad.

American colleges aren't supposed to train, they are supposed to educate. If companies had better training or mentoring programs, it wouldn't be as much of a problem.

> More far-reaching reforms, though, will need the approval of Congress, which is unlikely

Look at what happened in Australia and New Zealand since the 1980's (and Canada?) and you'll realize congressional approval is likelier than you think. Allowing students to stay boosts house prices and rents - that's what people will vote for. If one government doesn't do it then the next one will. Giving their children a US education, residency, and home is what most Chinese work for and the US foreign currency holdings that China's holding over America's head is how they'll do it.

This is pretty insane. We have overcapacity in colleges (outside of elite institutions). We should offer all foreign university graduates visas whether or not they have a job right this moment, and regardless of whether they are chemical engineers or lit majors. We've been handed the best and brightest students plus hundreds of thousands in tuition for each one from all over the world. Not keeping them is willful self-harm.

Know of several people in this situation, even people making 70k+ out of college and paying taxes still need to leave.

The most amazing thing to me is that people with very high skills are put in the same lottery pool with people doing administrative jobs. What's even more tragic (for both America and the graduates) is that the more skilled they are, the less likely they can find a commensurate job back in the developing home. On a personal note, the prospect of deportation put a heavy strain on my relationship--I'm sure many have to go through the same ordeal.

I'm in the same situation as you - my significant other is working on her PhD for CS in a few years and laments this very prospect happening.

If your field of expertise allows, I would recommend considering Australia & New Zealand.

Australia is not too immigrant friendly lately, but New Zealand will most likely give you a permanent residence if you have a well paying job, and you don't have a criminal record.

I certainly wouldn't mind NZ, if they're cool with someone who has a BS in CS and 9+ years of experience. Thanks!

I am a 100% sure you can come here with those credentials. I have way less, and was accepted coming from south america.

If I'm not mistaken, MAs and certainly PhDs are put in a different pool when considered work visas. And if she goes for academic jobs, it's virtually a guarantee for visa and a quick route to green card. There's always some risk, of course, but a PhD in CS has better chance than almost anyone else :-) Good luck!

The idea isn't that they can't get a job or contribute and thus need to leave. The point is that Americans should be preferred over foreigners for these jobs. Not supporting or denying this logic, just explaining that your point isn't really addressing the argument.

> The point is that Americans should be preferred over foreigners for these jobs.

Fwiw, my own experience is that the US is screwed up to the point where EU entrepreneurs are about as welcome as Mexican goat-herders.

Which seems kind of self-defeating if the goal is to give jobs to US citizens. But what do I know...

Maybe it's time to think about the rest of the WORLD. Those other countries need bright, educated people too...

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