Robert Reich: Why Musk Is Wrong About Opening America To Skilled Workers From Abroad - OpEd

[SunSeeker]

When I was secretary of labor, America’s emerging big tech industry pushed to raise the cap on the number of skilled workers allowed into the United States under the H1B visa program.

I resisted the pressure, telling business that if they wanted skilled workers so badly, they should train Americans for these jobs, including their own workers. Allowing many more skilled workers into the U.S. also reduces the bargaining power of skilled workers already in America — and thereby reduces any incentive operating on other Americans to gain the skills for such jobs. 

And opening America to skilled workers also reduces the incentive on foreign nations to educate and nurture their own skilled workforces. Why should they, when their own skilled workers can easily migrate to America?

The major beneficiaries in the U.S. of opening the nation to skilled workers from abroad are CEOs and venture capitalists like Musk and Sachs, whose profits and wealth would be even higher if they could siphon off cheaper skilled workers from abroad. 
https://www.eurasiareview.com/30122024-robert-reich-why-musk-is-wrong-about-opening-america-to-skilled-workers-from-abroad-oped/

[Meowmee]

1. They love that because

They can pay them less and have more power over them etc.

[mzmolly]

2. I work with Engineers. Some of whom have an H1B status.

Last edited Wed Jan 1, 2025, 07:42 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm sure they're very skilled engineers, but their ability to communicate in English is frustrating given the subject matter. It's one thing to have broken english for unskilled work, it's another to expect a high degree of technical communication from someone who isn't fluent in the pertinent language.

[uponit7771]

9. For me it was being told to make my English simpler for non Americans to understand.

[mzmolly]

10. I wish it were that easy.

[TBF]

3. It's all about cheap labor -

the more things change, the more they stay the same. It is always this way with the owners. They want to keep as much money for themselves as possible. It is absolutely ludicrous that we have folks who are homeless, while others like Musk, are billionaires. There is no excuse for that.

[pansypoo53219]

4. these immigrabnts ARE taking american jobs.

[vapor2]

5. I have ZERO fucks to give for the new administration who wants

to take everything we have earned and enrich themselves.

[Barbegazi]

6. Interesting and complicated

It’s complicated. On the national economic level, he is right there are more workers competing with American citizens for jobs.

At the university level, most of the STEM programs are filled with F1 student visa students. When they graduate, there are many applicants seeking the H-1B. This also takes away opportunities for American graduate students too. Could be argued that this compounds the problem. Beyond that, there is a large population of professors who went through this system and are biased towards foreign students.

I personally think it is to our competitive advantage to take the best and brightest from around the world and keep them in the USA. There are a huge number of tech companies started with people with these backgrounds that employ a lot of people. I never thought I would disagree with Robert Reich and agree with Elon Musk.

[mercuryblues]

7. That is not what Musk wants

He wants cheap labor. That is all. He laid off a lot of employees when he bought X, then hired HB1 to fill those positions.

[Skittles]

11. LOL

they are NOT the "best and the brightest" - they are CHEAPER

[LetMyPeopleVote]

12. Welcome to DU

[LetMyPeopleVote]

13. Welcome to DU

[uponit7771]

8. WSJ - US IT Unemployment 6%, 50% higher than national average