Labor Shortages? Not Quite.

American Law firm teaches American business owners how to NOT hire qualified Americans, legally.

 From time-to-time you hear that, “There is a shortage of __________(Insert Profession). No fields have experienced this more than the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and now it is in Teaching, Nursing and, yes,–drum-roll– Architecture!  This is simply false-there are no labor shortages!  Unemployment is running rampant and, yet, we have labor shortages?? Sound odd? Read on. (also, Video Links below)

I recently had someone tell me, “You should go into Nursing, they are saying that there is a shortage of nurses.” I was horrified and said, “Oh god, are they saying that on the news? That means that is the next profession to slowly die on- the-vine.”  He said, “What do you mean?”  I have discussed this topic with two types of people:  People that are fully aware and angered. And those that are clueless and/or in denial that it is happening.

Here is what happens: Big Business lobbies congress and says, “We just cannot find enough skilled workers in _________(insert white collar profession). We need to bring in skilled workers–from another country–to help stave-off this horrible shortage!”

Here is the why: The “skilled”workers are brought in on one of two types of Visa’s. Typically, they are paid 30% to 50% less than the going rate in that field AND they are tied to one employer for 5 years. Meaning: They cannot leave that employer to accept another job offer–for higher pay.  If they leave the employer, they then, have to leave the country and reapply to re-enter. Since it is a lottery-system, re-entry is not guaranteed and the next slot is called up to take the position.  These employers cry, “Labor shortage, labor shortage, help me! I cannot find any skilled Americans to do this job and/or not enough skilled Americans who are interested.” So certain types Visas are brought in, in-order to flood the market with workers for the sole-purpose of driving wages: down.  I have had people say, “Well…I do not care if “they” are paid that as long as I can still make “x”.  Duh..These people are being brought in to increase the supply, and drive wages down throughout the professions…hello?? Supply and demand.

Here is the lie: If there was truly a shortage in any field it would mean that the wages are high and rising, in that field. To be blunt, this would mean, Labor is scarce–which is what they claim–thus, you could name your own price.  This is a simple fact that we all remember from college economics–it is the law of supply and demand–actually, you never had to have taken an economics class to recognize this simple principle. These people are being brought in to acheive the exact opposite. More people = lower pay. The more times they claim they cannot find skilled American workers – the higher they want the foreign Visa cap raised, for the sole-purpose of obtaining cheap labor and pushing wages down.

For some reason people think that this means, “Manual-labor”, nothing could be further from the truth. Again, we are talking about white collar jobs. In order to  “prove” to the Department of Labor that they cannot find skilled workers in specific fields, they run phony job advertisements (re: first link below regarding law firm). Yes, many of the job listing you read, are not even real! (No, I am not kidding).  And, if an American does show interest they put them through what is called, “The PERM process.” (This happens without your knowledge).  They begin looking for ANY REASON to disqualify the American worker, anything from driving record, to a credit check, to a background check, even, counting information from 15 years ago as, “relevant.”  Remember the Macy’s card payment you were late on five-years ago? You don’t remember? They do. Disqualified, legally.

You are wondering what any of those things has to do with your ability to practice Architecture or any other Profession, here, today? Nothing. Welcome to the PERM process!  For the Visa holder, the criteria is very lax–none of this is checked–furthermore, if they have little or no experience the employer is willing to train them! They also claim that it is, “The best and brightest”, they are bringing in – False: It is a lottery system and many of these people have been found to have no credentials and ZERO exprience, yet, American employers, do not mind.  In fact, there is an American Law firm that that specifically teaches American Employers how not to hire Americans, legally.  Yes, people actually pay to attend law seminars to learn how to defraud their own countrymen out of jobs!

I recently met an African national who was recently hired by Microsoft.  He was told that he was brought in because they are “desperate” for computer programmers and that, “… they just cannot find any qualified Americans.”  He went on to say, “They are sooo desperate for CS people and will even train you! They could not even find anyone inside of Microsoft who wanted to do my job!” I said, “Good for you! That means you were able to set your wage and ask for a large salary!” He looked confused and said, “What? No, they offered me a salary…a take it or leave it deal.” I said, “Wow that was gutsy of them with such a labor shortage and, and especially since–they could not find any qualified Americans! You could have said, ‘no’ and they would have been in a world-of-hurt.” A wave of recognition and truth passed over his face followed by a sickly look. He said, “You are right…” Wow, he drank the Microsoft Kool-Aid! There are literally tens-of- thousands of unemployed programmers in California, Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, alone.  Bill Gates is one of the worst offenders. Currently, we are bringing in 160,000 Level 1 guest workers, per year!!  Bill Gates wants an infinite amount let in; he wants the cap removed!! (Re: Programmersguild.org)

You are probably wondering, ..”How is there that many new jobs per year? There is not, hence, the PERM process mentioned above to displace highly skilled Americans so that someone else–less skilled–from outside of the US–can be brought in to replace them, of course for, 30% – 50% less and tied in for FIVE years. Free-trade, huh? LOL..sure. And this is not even taking into account the new college grads in those fields.

A friend  and I checked Microsoft’s website and they only have one job opening–worldwide– and that is in Redmond, Washington, yet, they are “desperate for people??” Mmmmm that Kool-Aid sure does taste good! 

The Sell-out: The people who do this scream: “Free Trade”, yet, it is far from “Free Trade.” Far lower than standard wage… tied to one employer for 5 years… How is that free trade?? And doesn’t, trade, include two parties trading and mutually benefiting?? I cannot just move or go work somewhere else on a whim; the door only opens one way for Americans and that is, IN. I am FOR free trade, but–this is not it. I say, let anyone move here that wants and to compete for jobs and NOT be tied to one employer for 5 years.  Mention this and watch those so called “Free Trade” businessmen pucker-up.

Last night a woman at my Vetrinarian’s office said that she is, “….tired of all the stuff going on in this country.” She said that she was going to, “Move to Sweden.”  I told her, “You can’t.” She looked shocked. I said, “Many countries  have laws on the books AGAISNT such practices, especially with regard to Americans.” She said, “Why?”  Well…TO PROTECT THEIR JOBS!!

The problem: This will eventually be the death of some American universities with regard to The STEM Fields. Not to mention the catastrophic economic problems that we are now witnessing. Many Computer Science programs, In America, are shutting down because hiring preferences are being given to foreign, non-resident, workers– to the exclusion of American workers. The number of people they let in, per year, has far been outpacing job growth in technical fields. The more qualified you are, the harder it is to find a job. Contact the Programmer’s Guild if you do not believe it.

If you think it is in “other fields”, other than your own, you are wrong-very wrong. It is branching out into almost all technical fields. Sometimes, being contacted by a recruiter that you never hear from again, is part of the PERM process. They have to show that “x” number of Americans were contacted then subsequently disqualified, in order to bring in a foreign worker. What they use to disqualify you? Anything from a speeding ticket– to– a late payment on a credit card– to– listing very specific references to software types in the jobs ads. Example, “Do you know Auto-CAD?” “Yes, I have been using it since 1989.” “ok hmmm, but not 2006 v. 1.0 beta addition?” No one has even hear of that version and it has NOTHING to do with practicing Architecture. The PERM process makes it about the software– not the profession.  It would be the equivalent of saying, “Oh no, Steven King cannot write fiction novels for us, he only knows Word 8.0 and not version 7.98, beta-release and again, amended, in August of 2008.”  That has NOTHING to do with his ability to write fiction novels!  “Do you know Auto-CAD, 2006 but not 2006 v. 1.0 beta addition?”No. Disqualified, legally. But the foreign NIV holder that is brought in, may not know ANY software and American companies/firms are happy to train him/her!

The DISD laid-off quite a few teachers during the beginning of the year and three-weeks later filed for foreign Visas to bring in teachers from overseas (The Philippines) to replace the teachers they had just let go. Gee, I guess they just cannot find enough American teachers, right? Oh wait, but they just let a couple of thousand go in Dallas alone…hmmm…The same is happening in Nursing, Engineering and it has begun in Architecture. Do you hink that this is, not a problem? That is what Computer Programmers were saying ten-years ago.

This is disgusting. With this many Americans and Permanent Residents out-of-work and they are flooding the country with “guest workers” under the false premise of “Labor-Shortages.”

I am half-Dutch. Four of my living relatives at one time held Dutch Passports, thus, I have a birth-right to be there. I called several firms in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Eind Hoven and was told, “Madame, we are going through very hard times too, because of what is taking place in America, we must decline, because, our jobs go to our own citizens-FIRST. We cannot let more people in at this time during such a bad economy.” Jobs to their own citizens, first? Gee, what a novel idea!!! While most countries realize that their labor force IS their economy and are trying to preserve the jobs they have for their own residents , in the mean while, Americans are trying to figure out how to take jobs from our own people and give them, to others. AMAZING! In American – It truly has become a love of others and hatred of self.

Again, most countries understand that their labor pool IS their economy. How will we sustain our tax base? Tax receipts are already down close to 40%. People are simply not filing and many have no income to tax–thanks to the problem that I am discussing.

 Blue Collar Manufacturing jobs are being sent overseas (our own government is encouraging US companies to pack up and relocate off-shore with the incentive of a 20% tax break. For those of us in white-collar jobs, still here, they are actively working to import people to replace us–all for–a little bit more money in their own pockets, or so they think. But as the economy crumbles further they simply will not have work to do either, as we are seeing the cracks in the plaster, as we speak.  There will cease to be work for them to even worry about how to defraud their own countrymen out of .  Americans have to have jobs for this economy to work.  It is almost as if there is a thin-veil of fog in front of some of these business owner’s faces. It is right in front of their face, yet, they cannot completely figure it out.

Service Economy? Hilarious. What does this mean? All of the unemployed people will mow each other’s lawns? It is the equivalent of telling an unemployed person: “Remodel your house to make work for yourself.”

What can you do?: E-mail your government regarding your disgust. Mention that there are, NO labor-shortages and NO lack of qualified people. In fact, most of the people here have superior qualifications to those that they bring in. It is all about cost.  Not disgusted? Then you either do not care, because, you are currently employed–for the time being, or, are ultra-naive/uniformed, or, simply do not understand the issue. If  you do care, Go to your State Representative’s web-site and also the White-House Web-Site to express and speak your mind, doing this actually helps more than you think!  They count one letter as a one-thousand disgruntled people, since, they know if one person writes thousands more feel the same way but are to0 apathetic to do anything about it. If you do not care for your own sake, then, do it for your children’s college and employment future. If this practice continues, how will we continue to fund our tax base? Please do not be apathetic and do your part. Do you think if it was truly “free-trade” and if they had to pay a comparable wage that there would be a “labor shortage”? Many of the people on these Visas have no idea that they are being paid substantially less!  The American business owners tell them they are being, brought in because they are, “So smart” and “We just cannot find anyone in America we had to bring you in, specially!”  Remove these requirements and magically the labor shortage goes away! 😉

Excellent post and contact info on this topic: http://javelineer.com/end-h1b-and-other-non-immigrant-work-programs/