I am not sure why those people can't be served by normal visas which don't tie you to your employer at risk of deportation for not agreeing to their every demand.
And added on that temporary work permit that'd be suitable for contractors.
The USA issues over 3 million visas under which work is permitted per year, so I wonder why isn't there room in the existing legislative framework to accommodate skilled workers without having them be given H1-B.
What are the names of those "normal visas"?