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Comment by akira2501 | Hacker News Reader

> The U.S. has the opportunity to cement itself as the center of the world as far as technological progress from now into eternity.

I don't accept this premise and I don't think serves as a reasonable excuse for government interference in labor markets. Even if you do accept this, then the solution sacrifices long-term labor stability for short-term labor monopolization.

Either way, I don't see this as a positive outcome, and I regret every administrations attempt to expand the program using any excuse that happens across their desks.

> but how many times do we have to learn the lesson that “more people making software leads to more software jobs”

The connection between this outcome and increased H1-B visas for mostly _corporate sponsors_ is sketchy, at best.

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Why do you see giving more visas as a government interference in labor markets?

In my view it's the opposite, a perfectly free labor market would be one where anyone can apply to a job. Restricting immigration by denying visas is a government interference in the market. So more visas means less interference.

(Note: I'm not claiming anything about whether it's a good idea or not).

Because without it US companies would have to negotiate and come to terms with US workers.

The government is already interfering with the labor market by denying work visas to many US-educated students, limiting number of employment based green cards, handing out diversity visas through random lottery, and in general dictating who should or should not be eligible for work permits.

Not trying to speak for GP but I think they would probably tell you that what you're talking about is also an interference and should go away as well :)

Yes that should definitely stop and companies should find ways to incentivize US workers instead. I know that’s a crazy idea…

a) There has been no change to H1B visa intake since 1990.

b) There is no evidence that H1B visas have caused labor instability in the IT market.

> There is no evidence that H1B visas have caused labor instability in the IT market.

Lmao. It’s self evident that the IT market, exemplified by the wealthiest tech corps, is literally dominated by foreign workers. The argument for unskilled labor (Americans don’t want those jobs) can’t even be dishonestly argued here. It’s government policy allowing US workers to be sidelined in favor of foreign ones.

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