H-1B visas. To convert to a green card, you need to demonstrate a labor shortage, and a common way is to post job openings, look at the candidates, and tell the government "They all sucked compared to the guy we currently have."

If they don't suck, the guy fails the labor certification and may have to wait a year to apply for the green card again. However, he doesn't lose his job, and the qualified candidate never gets an interview.

So yes, it's pretty standard for the companies to post openings they don't have.

But I really doubt they post on the HN jobs board. Most will go through more formal channels.

H1B visa workaround. Companies have to show that there are no qualified US candidates before they are able to use the H1B visa process. But there have been many abusers of the system. https://www.utahbusiness.com/systemic-abuse-of-the-h-1b-lott...

Could be visa-related, it's very easy to craft a posting that only your already-identified preferred candidate will qualify for. I firsthand know of companies that did this for H-1B employees.

Or any public sector job where positions have to be posted but you already have your internal hire, son-in-law, or cousin lined up.

But, it's mostly just rumor I've heard.

I can tell you that when I moved from a contract position to full time at Dell Services (now NTT Data Services), they had to review and possibly? interview 2 additional candidates despite hiring from within.

We did have many work visa employees though.

We worked with Healthcare clients. Big ones.