Labor Pains

So I spent most of the afternoon attending an H/R round table discussion involving employment of foreign workers. What I found most interesting was this person from a lawn care company that actually processed HB-2 Visas to get labor for his service. I cannot imagine the expense involved. I thought I had an understanding of both sides of the immigrant labor debate, but I was so wrong.

If any of these people that feel illegal immigrants are taking their jobs know where I can hire US citizens please help me. I happen to know 10 other employers that will line up. And these are not bottom feeder jobs these are decent pay. We are facing a real labor shortage. Also a staggering statistic for you. 39% of graduating engineers from American Universities are not American citizens. For those of you in the HB-1 debate should know that all of those wonderful high tech jobs that create great tax revenue and good people rolling real dollars into the economy are being moved to other countries because we only provide 66,000 HB-1 Visas per year. Again these employers are not choosing these applicants over Americans, they cannot FIND Americans with these qualifications. This company has a full time recruiter and attorney to work on the Visas. They have to interview EVERY applicant that applies and provide intensive documentation as to why they are choosing to hire someone that s not a US citizen. So I said, What's wrong with that? So you need to prove you did not hire a US citizen big deal. Well they told me what the big deal is. How long do you suppose businesses will endure this expense before they take their entire operation to Canada or another country without issues? And that highly educated candidate? Well forget it they don't need this hassle for a year in America, England will welcome then with open arms not so many questions. Most of the candidates this person lost was to other countries. We are a global environment. The US used to mean the best and brightest talent. Now we are loosing people that are working on a cure for cancer because we won't let companies hire the best.

I guess my point is I left this meeting confused on an issue I thought I somewhat understood. I agreed we needed immigration reform but had no idea how many underlying issues were in place. And holding business to the wall of immigration issues will just push them to relocate to a country where the red tape has an end.

Oh well no one will touch this in an election year. What are your thoughts? Have you not thought of these things or was it just me?

Kel