The Hidden Middlemen Gaming the US Work Visa Lottery

H1B Visa Program Overview - H1B visa is a path for foreign workers to work in the United States [1] - The H1B program was designed to attract skilled workers to fill high-skill jobs in the US where domestic talent is lacking [6] - The program is in dire need of reform [26] Challenges and Criticisms - The system is rife with opportunities for fraud and exploitation [4] - The lottery system does not make sense [4] - Some companies use the program as a massive labor arbitrage scheme to increase profits [5] - Staffing companies game the system by submitting the same person's name multiple times in the lottery [11][12] - Outsourcing companies bring in lower-salary workers, potentially undercutting American labor [13] - L1 visas are sometimes used inappropriately for non-managerial roles [19] Impact and Perspectives - Skilled immigrant workers bring money to the US government [3] - Immigrants make up a large portion of Silicon Valley's workforce [27] - Some economists estimate that millions more engineers and developers will be needed in the US [28] - The H1B visa is owned by the employer, giving them significant control over the employee [9][10] - Approximately 80% of H1B petitions are held by Indian workers [7] - In 2023, over 450,000 people registered for the lottery for only 85,000 slots [9]