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Comment by g4m8i7 | Hacker News Reader

Check Netflix. Most of their H1Bs are making far greater than prevailing wage for their positions.

Yeah, is this data right? Why do they have Software and UX people making over $250k?

See my reply below. TLDR version: Netflix compensation is all salary. Google, etc, comp is salary + stock + bonus, and I suspect these applications list just salary, not total comp.

Isn't it the case that compensation at Netflix is variable and you could select how you want to distribute it over salary/stock/bonus?

Yes, that's true (for at least stock, I don't think they do bonuses). But the default is 95% salary / 5% stock, so to simplify, I said "just salary"

It's fairly common knowledge in Silicon Valley that Netflix salaries are insane.

Isn't that because they hire a very small amount of very experienced people?

Or maybe because of their high turnover, to compensate the risk of what is known as "the culture of fear" there.

For $300k+ I'll take on some risk.

If you're a US person, why not... But for someone who needs H1B sponsoring and relocation (probably with a family as well), Netflix is the worst company to work for as your first American employer.

Why, specifically? ... I came to Netflix on a H-1B, and they have been awesome. But if there are specific concerns (eg, no grace period in case of termination? something else?) I'd be interested to know what they were.

Because initially H1B's are tied to your employer. I think for the first 2 years? So if you're let go during that period, I believe you have to move back to your country. You can't directly transfer H1B to another company [during that period].

Disclaimer: I'm not an immigration lawyer... So while employers sponsor H-1Bs, and the employer name is associated with the H-1B, you shouldn't be "tied" to the employer, certainly not these days post AC21 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Competitiveness_in_the...). I've been headhunted while on a first term H-1B, and recruiters didn't blink when I mentioned I was on a H-1B. Transfers are common. (Has an employer given you the impression you were tied to them?)

But you mentioned being "let go" during that period, and needing to move back to your country. (A problem created by the H-1B's lack of a stipulated grace period.) Is Netflix considered a poor choice as it's seen to be quicker to fire, therefore this situation is more likely?

Personally, I was considering Netflix as a poor choice as the first H1B sponsor because I thought you (your H1B) are tied to your employer for some initial time. If that is not the case, I could reconsider Netflix :) Assuming that they give enough termination notification (and also helping with landing new jobs, as they mention in those famous slides). My former boss works at Netflix for a couple of years now and mentioned about good opportunities there, but Netflix was out of the table for me because of this possible initial H1B moment and generally because of that "the culture of fear".

Btw, how do you feel about this? Does this fear really exist?

Is it possible for a good engineer to have a relaxed life and atmosphere and a family friendly situation at Netflix?

I know from personal experience that that is not correct. There is no such restriction.

It's also because they explicitly prefer to shift as much compensation as possible towards salary as opposed to stock, benefits, perks, etc. They released a long presentation about why they do this, I think it's somewhere on Slideshare.

Slide #100 onwards: http://www.slideshare.net/reed2001/culture-1798664

Netflix engineers are better than the average engineer (even in a given job title), so the prevailing wage calculations don't represent the true economics.

But in any case, H1-B visas can lower the wages of engineers without H1-B holders earning less than Americans. It's just like any import. The import itself doesn't have to be sold for cheaper, it's just that the presence of the import lowers the price via competition, so that both the import and the local good are cheaper than the price before importing started.

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