At a time when unemployment is on the uptick in 46 out of 50 states, employers are continuing to hire H-1B workers for high-paying jobs in the US as they ignore the pool of qualified, locally available US citizens and green card holders.
Preliminary figures are available for 2008 from the US Department of State. Compare the total number of visas issued for these visa programs to those from the previous years:
H-1B
1998 = 91,360
1999 = 116,513
2000 = 133,290
2001 = 161,643
2002 = 118,352
2003 = 107,196
2004 = 138,965
2005 = 124,099
2006 = 135,421
2007 = 154,053
2008 = 129,464
L-1
1998 = 38,307
1999 = 41,739
2000 = 54,963
2001 = 59,384
2002 = 57,721
2003 = 57,245
2004 = 62,700
2005 = 65,458
2006 = 72,613
2007 = 84,532
2008 = 84,078
US employers have used high-cost lobbyists to get their way on this issue. Even though a cap of 65,000 was set for the H-1B visa in 2004, that figure does not represent the number of visas issued. Due to the intense pressure brought to bear on legislators in the US Congress by cash-rich multinational corporations, gorged on their ill-gotten gain in the tech sector, the number of visas issued each year has actually increased.
H-1B & L-1 Visas Issued 1989 - 2008 (travel.state.gov)
Classes of Nonimmigrants Issued Visas (Detailed Breakdown)
(Including Crewlist Visas and Border Crossing Cards)
Fiscal Years 1989 - 2008*
H-1B Temporary worker - performing services other than as a registered nurse
1989 = -
1990 = 794
1991 = 51,882
1992 = 44,290
1993 = 35,818
1994 = 42,843
1995 = 51,832
1996 = 58,327
1997 = 80,547
1998 = 91,360
1999 = 116,513
2000 = 133,290
2001 = 161,643
2002 = 118,352
2003 = 107,196
2004 = 138,965
2005 = 124,099
2006 = 135,421
2007 = 154,053
2008 = 129,464
L-1 Intracompany transferee (executive, managerial, and specialized personnel continuing employment with international firm or corporation)
1989 = 13,648
1990 = 14,342
1991 = 16,109
1992 = 17,345
1993 = 20,369
1994 = 22,666
1995 = 29,088
1996 = 32,098
1997 = 36,589
1998 = 38,307
1999 = 41,739
2000 = 54,963
2001 = 59,384
2002 = 57,721
2003 = 57,245
2004 = 62,700
2005 = 65,458
2006 = 72,613
2007 = 84,532
2008 = 84,078
Americans have been displaced from their tech jobs by this alarming and destructive trend by US corporations ever since the early 1990's. It can be said that, during the 1995 through 2000 time frame, there were a large number of tech jobs available. Since 2000, and especially post-9/11, the primary function of the visas has been to displace US IT workers at an ever-increasing rate. The number of new tech jobs available in the US for the years 2001 through 2004 was roughly equal to the number of H-1B visas being issued for the year. Americans were, unjustifiably, losing ground in one of the best employment areas in their own country. This was due to bypass. CEOs and other opportunists spotted a quick way to pay themselves larger bonuses. Their approach has been to do the damage of replacing Americans first, reward themselves with increased bonuses second, and evaluate the existence of any possible benefit from their rash, unwarranted, and destructive actions last.
The demographic sectors in the US population who have suffered disproportionately from the egregious actions of CEOs, board members, and other execs? Women and blacks. Who is perpetrating the racist, sexist actions of bypass and discrimination against all US citizens and green card holders in the US, and especially against American women and blacks? The CEOs, board members, and other managers who have adopted this destructive, ineffective approach to filling their IT needs, not the unfortunate IT workers in the US who are being victimized by employers who bypass them.