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Comment by louhike | Hacker News Reader

The american administration is bad too for foreigners, so I think it can be summarized by how attractive the country is.

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An H1B doesn't have to reapply for a work visa every year, and they eventually get a green card, while green cards are extremely rare in China. Also, you don't have to re-register at the PSB in the states a few times a year, waiting in line just to get a little slip of paper.

It is easy to get a working visa in tech, that's for sure, and if you have a company that jumps through all the hoops for you, it can be relatively painless.

I'm an indian immigrant, this is totally not true. There may be edge cases, but in general, cannot agree with this statement.

what? The american immigration system is pretty awful. H-1B to employer sponsored green card is a really lousy system.

Try immigrating to China.

I'm not familiar with China's system. But let's not pretend a lottery based system, where the only thing that decides whether you can stay in the country or not, is random number generation, like H1-B is great.

China's system is basically just "No, you can't stay". As of 2010 exactly 1,448 living immigrants had managed to become citizens. In contrast, the US naturalizes 700,000 every year.

The country actually has more billionaires than non-Vietnamese refugees.

Right. China is in the business of colonising other countries - not being colonised itself.

You mean how the child of an immigrant is President?

US immigration goes beyond just the President's personal views and desires. The present situation is pretty difficult for many would-be immigrants, even those from middle class backgrounds in stable countries. If they lack a degree or their degree isn't recognized, they can't easily get a work visa (for permanent resident status, not temporary workers). They have to get married, go for the diversity visa program, or become a student (may be their second or third degree for some if they go this route).

This is true. But compare it to other countries: even where immigration is more relaxed, the cultural acceptance of foreign culture is greater in the US than most places. The only place I might prefer to be as a foreigner would be Canada.

His father was not an immigrant, he was born in Queens. And the immigration laws are a much bigger obstacle now than they were even in the 80s.

I was referring to Obama Sr, who was born in Kenya.

He was never an immigrant. He just came on a student visa, studied, then went back to Kenya.

My mistake, I didn't realize that meaning of immigrant. Nonetheless, I think my point stands, perhaps even stronger.

Weird correction.

Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, mother to Donald, was born on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland in 1912, emigrated to the US in 1930, married an American in 1936, naturalized 1942.

Great find; I never would have realized this otherwise. Ironically this is more accurate than my statement about the current president!

You mean how the child of an immigrant is President?

The president's father was never an immigrant. An immigrant is someone who comes to life permanently in a new country. He was a foreign student with a wife in Kenya and eventually returned to Kenya with an American third wife upon the completion of his studies.

Several presidents have been a child of an immigrant: Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, James Buchanan, Chester Arthur, Woodrow Wilson and Herbert Hoover.

Correct; my apologies.

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