ExpertDabbler

I’ve been reading about stuff on H1b every so often in rediff and other portals. Recent one being this

Let me try to put some stuff for the dummies.

The whole campaign can be classified into two lobbies - pro H1 and anti - H1.

Pro H1:
- Companies like Microsoft, Google, Cisco and the innovation challenged bloke called Bill Gates
- Companies like Wipro, TCS, Infy (they are the cause of major controversy and to some extent justifiably so)

Anti H1:
- A body called CIS and some professors who analyze endless reams of data.
- Some senators who feel that H1 visa holders are next only to biological warfare and so should be stopped from entering US.

At the center of the storm is the candidate who is having a garland in his neck, not sure if it’s the one before wedding or sacrifice for a village God (Bali Aadu).

The candidate can be of two types – one is the typical grad school passout in US. He had already gone through hurdles like GRE, TOEFL, probable student loan,writing SoPs, getting the offer of Admission - IR20 err I20 (Sorry got confused with a commodity which is getting increasingly precious). And last but not the least, the mood of the Visa Officer in US consulate.

The other situation is a typical bachelor’s degree holder, with some experience looking for that elusive break which would help him close his home mortgage dues faster before his mortgage turns sub-prime. Though I reckon joining a start-up in Bangalore is a not a bad option than taking a job in recession prone US.

The Pro H1 party says there is a huge gap in the availability of skilled labor for techie jobs in US and that they are outsourcing because of that. The Anti H1 party argues that all this brouhaha of ’skilled worker’ is all just an eye wash to bring in low cost workers into the great America and pollute the land with infidels, or something to that effect.

They are basically like DMK and ADMK. Each have their own political reasons and business reasons for fighting it out. In the end, the powerful lobby wins.

If I were to decide on this issue, I would say those who completed their masters in US should be completely exempted from this quota. It is not fair on the ones who took the pain of going through all the hassle a student goes through, only to find its all driven by a number and lottery game.

Pitting them against the 2nd category folks for basically the same number of quotas (okay, maybe 20,000 more but hardly any difference) only creates unnecessary animosity between the two without solving the problem of the US corporate or the American economy at large or the US senators.

The second category of workers should be allowed visa based on their education/experience/skill sets, the offer of employment they hold and the demand for such professionals in US. Admittedly, this is trickier than the first but no less important.

For e.g My friend Madhu, may not be a Master’s Grad in US, but having known him well, I think it would be unfair to him and his potential employer to lose out on Madhu just because of the H1 issue if he chooses to apply for one. Classic lose-lose situation.

I think the USCIS and the other stake holders should take a long, hard look into this and come out with a better design for the whole H1B process so that their country gets the candidates they need and those who abuse the system are deprived of their advantages. One step in the right direction was rejecting multiple filings. But more needs to be done.

The whole fixed numbers game (be it 65,000 or 79,999 or whatever) is simplistic while trying to be simple. I agree that every system will have its own shortcomings, but having a numerical cap on such a sensitive issue betrays a laziness to think and analyze more than anything else. Topping it off with a random selection process is beyond words. I am sure our planning commission can come out with a better system than that.

It’s another matter that most of the desi bloggers in US who may have a much better view don’t talk about such mess by the US government in their blogs. They are happy with their status reports on how many street lights were not glowing in Pazhavandhaangal when they last visited. I am scared to write about NRI’s nowadays so let me not get there.

Indian students spend $13 bn on education abroad every year

No wonder the events by USEFI, IDP Education Australia, British Council etc. look like a sunday sandhais organized in Taj Coramandel.

But then, why worry when all are happy?

The banks are happy as they make good money on educational loans. The so called NOT FOR PROFIT agencies like IDP should be happy that they are making lot of money even without profit motive. Foreign universities are happy that have a huge market in Indian students willing to pay the full tuition fee.

Most of all, our elite IITs, IIMs, NITs, funded by the government of India, which in turn is funded by the tax payers aka the moms and dads of these students, can be happy that are successfully keeping their brand intact i.e that of serving only the creamiest among the cream and chasing the rest out of the country.

The city bred, fee paying students are happy that they at last get a chance to be out of this messy educational system sans reservation quota, petty politics etc.

Most of the rural students who are completely kept out of the loop with regard to higher education, are happy with their Jadhi Sangams, Mu. Ka. Azhagiri’s etc. Their dream land still remain metros like Chennai, Mumbai, Calcutta, Delhi which is only too happy to receive them as an endless supply of cheap labour who can be used for anything from construction work to contract killing.

We don’t want educational reforms, we are happy with the way things are.