No room for H-1B workers
The stampede definitely is not on for H-1B visa applications for foreign workers.
In years past, the total alloted were snatched up in just a few days. Nearly three weeks after companies began applying for the coveted visas, the 2010 65,000 cap has yet to be reached.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reported Monday that about 44,000 visa petitions have been received. However, the agency has received about 20,000 petitions for H-1B visas for foreign workers with advanced degrees. The government hands out 20,000 visas to those with advanced degrees from U.S. institutions.
It’s no wonder. Tech companies are laying off workers by the tens of thousands.
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The reason is because USCIS is clamping down on body shops who bring in H-1Bs to sit on the bench unpaid until they can find their own contract.
Cognizant had to pay half a million to H-1Bs who were just sitting around with no job and that has sent a strong message to the many other body shoppers who engage in that practice.
The best thing that could happen to the H-1B program would be to disallow body shops from participating, and only allow the end user to file for a H-1B.