American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act Increased the Number of H-1B Visas for Foreign Workers
In 1998 Congress passed the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act which substantially increased the number of H-1B visas granted each year. The cap was nearly doubled from 65,000 to 115,000 for fiscal years 1999 and 2000. The 1999 quota was reached in April which left employers with thousands of job vacancies in areas critical to growth. In fact, the cap was reached quicker this year than when there were just 65,000 visas available. In an attempt to satisfy the increasing demand for foreign workers, Congress recently considered raising the cap to 200,000. Senator John McCain, R-Ariz, wants to go even further.
“I say we should eliminate these artificial limits altogether and allow the technology industry’s leaders to work with the Department of Labor to set an appropriate level of visas to meet their needs.” The question arises: Why are U.S. businesses so dependent on foreign workers to fill high-tech jobs? Are skill shortages so severe in America that we must import labor from abroad?
http://lmi.ides.state.il.us/lmr/articl28.htm