Limits on H-1B hiring by bailout recipients still in economic stimulus bill

[OhioChick]

Source: Computer World

House, Senate negotiators leave restrictions in compromise version of $787B stimulus plan

February 13, 2009 (Computerworld) A provision intended to require banks receiving federal bailout funds to give hiring priority to U.S. workers over foreigners with H-1B visas was left in the economic stimulus package when U.S. House and Senate negotiators agreed on a compromise bill this week.

The $787 billion stimulus bill was subsequently approved by the House of Representatives today, and a vote in the Senate is expected tonight.

The provision designed to curb the use of H-1B visas was proposed last week by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) as an amendment to the Senate's stimulus legislation. The proposal initially sought to bar H-1B hiring by financial services firms receiving bailout money, but it was later modified to restrict such hiring.

The stimulus bill, once it is approved by the Senate and signed by President Barack Obama, will require firms that take bailout funding to make a good-faith effort to hire U.S. citizens before people who are in the country on H-1B visas.

Opponents of the measure said it is so restrictive that affected financial services firms will likely stop hiring H-1B workers altogether. However, the provision doesn't prevent them from using offshore outsourcing contractors, which typically are heavy users of H-1B visas.

As a result of the conference agreement, Sanders said in a statement today that he expects the H-1B provisions to be adopted along with the rest of the stimulus bill. He added that what may have prompted the negotiators to keep the H-1B restrictions in the bill were all of the ongoing layoffs and other job losses. "With thousands of financial services workers unemployed, it is absurd for banks to claim they can't find qualified American workers," Sanders said.



Read more: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9127979&intsrc=hm_list

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Hey, it's a start.

[ChromeFoundry]

1. Yep, a start n/t

[Xipe Totec]

2. It's a good start. Even I support it

I think H1-B visas, in principle, are a good thing.

But there is no doubt that they have been abused.

[FreakinDJ]

3. Yep - A GOOD Start

[ihavenobias]

4. K & R n/t

[harpboy_ak]

5. Go, Bernie

You Rock! Replace Reid with Sanders!

[robinlynne]

6. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[w4rma]

7. Awesome!!!! (nt) !!! A start!

[Rebellious Republican]

8. And here is the loop hole....

Opponents of the measure said it is so restrictive that affected financial services firms will likely stop hiring H-1B workers altogether. However, the provision doesn't prevent them from using offshore outsourcing contractors, which typically are heavy users of H-1B visas.

And what do you suppose Corporations are going to do once they have made that uh, cough cough "good-faith effort". Everyone knows that Corporations will do the right thing, cough cough.

:eyes:

[babylonsister]

9. Sounds great! nt