Immigration reform: immigrants can save the tech industry (and others)

[Meshuga]

I work in the software industry and for a huge software company. I know that many companies are moving their development teams offshore because labor is much cheaper. A lot of tech jobs are actually moving from the US to countries like India where there are lots of quality engineers and the wages are much lower than here.

That is sort of hurting our industry here in the US and it might get worse. Who knows?

Now, wouldn't immigration reform be a great way to fight this tech job migration to the third world?

Letting quality engineers from the third world would be great for the industry because of their skill and because instead of having money going to their economy foreign workers would come here and help our economy grow.

People's fear is that by bringing people here Americans will lose their jobs but that is not exacly true. Sure there would be more competition but Americans are bound to lose their jobs anyway because "software shops" are being open in the developing world and if we bringing this people here we can have them help our economy and compete with them instead of automatically losing our jobs to them.

I confess that to me this issue is still fresh and I haven't really give that much thought but I would like to get some input from DUers to see what you guys think and brainstorming for the sake of fixing a possible big problem where we and people from developing nations can both come out as winners instead of creating a burden.

[Meshuga]

1. This forum goes really fast...

Bump since this forum goes really fast and threads can easily get lost. :-)

[LiviaOlivia]

2. Check this out

Some DUers thoughts on this subject from last night


http://democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=607914

[Meshuga]

6. Thanks livia I think that thread is going to be helpful n/t

[Orrin_73]

3. Immigration reformers in the states

want these people out of the country. I dont think they will agree with you.

[dfong63]

4. sounds dumb to me

Sure there would be more competition but Americans are bound to lose their jobs anyway because "software shops" are being open in the developing world and if we bringing this people here we can have them help our economy and compete with them instead of automatically losing our jobs to them.

so, suppose we ship in many Indian (or other nationality) tech workers and they get jobs here instead of in India. where in your scenario does the American worker get a job? your yammering about helping "the economy" sounds like George Bush and his "jobless recovery". come to think of it, your scenario sounds like unadulterated pro-NAFTA garbage. how is that any different than what the NAFTA supporters argued?

Letting quality engineers from the third world would be great for the industry because of their skill and because instead of having money going to their economy foreign workers would come here and help our economy grow.

make no mistake about it - the foreign software engineers are no more skilled than our homegrown ones. i've worked with many of both kinds. some of the foreigners are good, some aren't. just like the domestic ones. at a time when many highly skilled and well qualified Americans are out of a job, why is it better to grow our economy by giving foreign workers a job, instead of giving that job to an American?

[Meshuga]

5. Sure it sounds dumb... that's the reason for my disclaimer

I'm not saying that my message is right or wrong. I'm not trying to preach anything here, please don't get me wrong. I'm just trying to brainstorm here. I'm not arguing for anybody or taking any sides. I'm ignorant on the subject and I would like to start a discussion to learn something from it. Nothing else. No need to call me George W. Bush... That's a cheap shot! :-)

I'm aware that foreign software engineers can be better or worse than our home grown. I'm not comparing them. I'm just saying that if the jobs are being shipped over there regardless then why not bring foreign workers here to compete with our workers? Whether they are better or worse then us is another argument.

I'm just saying this because I might someday lose my job because my company might one day move my job function to Bangladesh. I would rather have workers from bangladesh come here to compete with me because I feel I have more control that way than losing my job because someone in a different country will work for less and it's cheaper to move operations there. That's all. If I'm right or wrong I don't know. I just stress that I want to learn and not be called names. Show me the right way and I might agree with you. ;)