Trump to seek changes in visa program to encourage hiring Americans

[webfact]

Trump to seek changes in visa program to encourage hiring Americans

By Steve Holland

 

A man has his fingerprints electronically taken while taking part in a visa application demonstration during a media tour at the consular section of the Embassy of the United States in Lima October 3, 2014. REUTERS/Mariana Bazo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday will sign an executive order directing federal agencies to recommend changes to a temporary visa program used to bring foreign workers to the United States to fill high-skilled jobs.

 

Two senior Trump administration officials who briefed reporters at the White House said Trump will also use the "buy American and hire American" order to seek changes in government procurement practices to increase the purchase of American products in federal contracts.

 

Trump is to sign the order when he visits the world headquarters of Snap-On Inc, a tool manufacturer in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

 

The order is an attempt by Trump to carry out his "America First" campaign pledges to reform U.S. immigration policies and encourage purchases of American products. As he nears the 100-day benchmark of his presidency, Trump has no major legislative achievements to tout but has used executive orders to seek regulatory changes to help the U.S. economy.

 

The order he will sign on Tuesday will call for "the strict enforcement of all laws governing entry into the United States of labor from abroad for the stated purpose of creating higher wages and higher employment rates for workers in the United States," one of the senior officials said.

 

It will call on the departments of Labor, Justice, Homeland Security and State to take action to crack down on what the official called "fraud and abuse" in the U.S. immigration system to protect American workers.

 

The order will call on those four federal departments to propose reforms to ensure H-1B visas are awarded to the most skilled or highest paid applicant.

 

H-1B visas are intended for foreign nationals in "specialty" occupations that generally require higher education, which according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) includes, but is not limited to, scientists, engineers or computer programmers. The government uses a lottery to award 65,000 visas every year and randomly distributes another 20,000 to graduate student workers.

 

The number of applications for H-1B visas fell to 199,000 this year from 236,000 in 2016, according U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

 

Companies say they use visas to recruit top talent. More than 15 percent of Facebook Inc's U.S. employees in 2016 used a temporary work visa, according to a Reuters analysis of U.S. Labor Department filings.

 

But a majority of the visas are awarded to outsourcing firms, sparking criticism by sceptics who say those firms use the visas to fill lower-level information technology jobs. Critics also say the lottery system benefits outsourcing firms that flood the system with mass applications.

 

Both Democratic and Republican critics have argued that companies such as Walt Disney Co and Southern California Edison Co <SCE_pe.A>, a utility, have used the program to terminate in-house IT employees and replace them with cheaper contractors. Disney and Edison have said that they paid foreign contractors comparably with local staffers.

 

The senior official said the end result of how the system currently works is that foreign workers are often brought in at less pay to replace American workers, "violating the principle of the program."

 

The order also asks federal agencies to look at how to get rid of loopholes in the government procurement process.

 

Specifically, the review will take into account whether waivers in free-trade agreements are leading to unfair trade by allowing foreign companies to undercut American companies in the global government procurement market.

 

"If it turns out America is a net loser because of those free-trade agreement waivers, which apply to almost 60 countries, these waivers may be promptly renegotiated or revoked," the second official said.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-04-18

[ilostmypassword]

I had written in a post elsewhere that Trump hires low skilled employees for Mar y Lago through the H1B program. I was wrong. It turns out that it's H2B program. The H1B program is for high-skilled workers.

 

"The H-2B visa nonimmigrant program permits employers to hire foreign workers to come temporarily to the United States and perform temporary nonagricultural services or labor on a one-time, seasonal, peakload or intermittent basis."

 

The H2B program for low skilled workers. So, it's not surprising that Trump is directing his attention to the former but not the latter.

[darksidedog]

I can see an outcry coming over this one. Many companies looking for talented and experienced staff, will find themselves having to settle for a less skilled American, rather than the person who was really right for the position. Might be good for a few extra votes, but bad for companies striving for excellence.

[ilostmypassword]

56 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

I can see an outcry coming over this one. Many companies looking for talented and experienced staff, will find themselves having to settle for a less skilled American, rather than the person who was really right for the position. Might be good for a few extra votes, but bad for companies striving for excellence.

Actually, there are lots of cases being reported, Disneyworld (Disneyland?) being one of them, where employers bring over H1B workers to have Americans who are currently doing the job, teach the H1B workers how to do their jobs and then fire the American workers when the H1B workers master the work. The H1B workers then return to their native country and get the prevailing and much lower wages on offer there..

[BEVUP]

3 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

Actually, there are lots of cases being reported, Disneyworld (Disneyland?) being one of them, where employers bring over H1B workers to have Americans who are currently doing the job, teach the H1B workers how to do their jobs and then fire the American workers when the H1B workers master the work. The H1B workers then return to their native country and get the prevailing and much lower wages on offer there..

Not only america pretty much world wide from unskilled to skilled & degrees 

At least the Thais restrict this

[Redline]

7 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

Actually, there are lots of cases being reported, Disneyworld (Disneyland?) being one of them, where employers bring over H1B workers to have Americans who are currently doing the job, teach the H1B workers how to do their jobs and then fire the American workers when the H1B workers master the work. The H1B workers then return to their native country and get the prevailing and much lower wages on offer there..

Why don't they crack down on the violators?  It sounds like they just call and ask if they are in violation.  Same with immigrants~crack down on the violators of laws (because contrary to popular belief, it's impractical to ship them all out).  We have all these laws, but nobody wants to spend taxes to enforce them~just pork barrel BS.  Same with social welfare violators, I'm all for it, but the scammers need to be caught and jailed.  Heavy and effective enforcement would get rid of layers of laws and regulations!!

Edited April 18, 2017 by Redline

[KKr]

The Americans elected a President that soon will be saying that he has done what he promised.
"We made America the greatest Nation in America."

[Andaman Al]

 

Quote

Donald Trump orders government to 'buy American' despite (him) manufacturing products in 12 different countries

Seems the Donald wants one rule for you and another rule for himself and his family!

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-buy-american-order-despite-foreign-workers-manufacturing-abroad-a7689951.html

 

The funny thing is that Donald really believes that the world will sit back and swallow all this BS. Several ex US Presidents have been assassinated for less than this man has done. I really believe the next 12 months will be intriguing. 

 

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

Given that the OP is Trump to seek changes in visa program to encourage hiring Americans it will be interesting to see how the Trump haters try to make the case that it is better to hire foreigners than Americans.

Trump promised to try to employ more Americans and is carrying out that promise.

[Langsuan Man]

13 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Given that the OP is Trump to seek changes in visa program to encourage hiring Americans it will be interesting to see how the Trump haters try to make the case that it is better to hire foreigners than Americans.

Trump promised to try to employ more Americans and is carrying out that promise.

Well if this promise turns out like all the rest,  then those of us who question his veracity,  will have nothing to make a case about  

[mrwebb8825]

On 4/19/2017 at 6:30 PM, Andaman Al said:

Several ex US Presidents have been assassinated for less than this man has done.

Name 3 (Lincoln and Kennedy don't count)

[ilostmypassword]

10 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Given that the OP is Trump to seek changes in visa program to encourage hiring Americans it will be interesting to see how the Trump haters try to make the case that it is better to hire foreigners than Americans.

Trump promised to try to employ more Americans and is carrying out that promise.

I would be a lot more convinced about Trump's sincerity if he tightened the screws on the H2B visa. You know, the one that allows employers to bring in foreign workers on a temporary seasonal basis. Oddly enough, that program benefits owners of resorts and such. Is there any President out there who might benefit from such a program?  Who can say?

[mrwebb8825]

https://newsletter.thaivisa.com/l/NeCpH832n892ZP2SNyOyvS8w/v0ZNQyArXm763NT8EUvWVEsA/grzhe8WV51GplLx2xZdS892w

 

should send this article to President Trump. :)

[ilostmypassword]

On 4/19/2017 at 2:28 PM, KKr said:

The Americans elected a President that soon will be saying that he has done what he promised.
"We made America the greatest Nation in America."

You mean like delivering cheaper and better health insurance that will cover all Americans?

Like staying out of Syria?

Like declaring China a currency manipulator?

Not to cut Medicaid?

And the list goes on and on....

[USPatriot]

On 4/17/2017 at 8:05 PM, ilostmypassword said:

Actually, there are lots of cases being reported, Disneyworld (Disneyland?) being one of them, where employers bring over H1B workers to have Americans who are currently doing the job, teach the H1B workers how to do their jobs and then fire the American workers when the H1B workers master the work. The H1B workers then return to their native country and get the prevailing and much lower wages on offer there..

A few clients have told me the same thing on how they lost their job

[Andaman Al]

2 hours ago, mrwebb8825 said:

Name 3 (Lincoln and Kennedy don't count)

And why pray tell do Lincoln and Kennedy not count??

 

Lincoln

Garfield

McKinley

Kennedy

 

and then of course are all the shot but not killed or attempted shootings/bombings.

 

Next...............

[mrwebb8825]

16 hours ago, Andaman Al said:

And why pray tell do Lincoln and Kennedy not count??

 

Lincoln

Garfield

McKinley

Kennedy

 

and then of course are all the shot but not killed or attempted shootings/bombings.

 

Next...............

And What, pray tell, did any of these people do that was even remotely close to what President Trump is doing? Except for Kennedy, they all died 150+ years ago when there was no secret service, no bullet proof glass, no video surveillance. Just a few guys with pistols and/or blackjacks.

[Andaman Al]

6 hours ago, mrwebb8825 said:

And What, pray tell, did any of these people do that was even remotely close to what President Trump is doing? Except for Kennedy, they all died 150+ years ago when there was no secret service, no bullet proof glass, no video surveillance. Just a few guys with pistols and/or blackjacks.

I have no idea where you are going. My initial comment was simply this. Concerning Trump I said

 

On 4/19/2017 at 6:30 PM, Andaman Al said:

The funny thing is that Donald really believes that the world will sit back and swallow all this BS. Several ex US Presidents have been assassinated for less than this man has done. I really believe the next 12 months will be intriguing. 

you then said "name 3, Lincoln and Kennedy don't count" ???

 

I don't get it.

[iReason]

On April 20, 2017 at 8:30 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

Given that the OP is Trump to seek changes in visa program to encourage hiring Americans it will be interesting to see how the Trump haters try to make the case that it is better to hire foreigners than Americans.

 

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday will sign an executive order directing federal agencies to recommend changes to a temporary visa program used to bring foreign workers to the United States to fill high-skilled jobs."

 

[habanero]

On 4/18/2017 at 9:07 AM, darksidedog said:

I can see an outcry coming over this one. Many companies looking for talented and experienced staff, will find themselves having to settle for a less skilled American, rather than the person who was really right for the position. Might be good for a few extra votes, but bad for companies striving for excellence.

I am surprised at the outcry on this subject. How many on this forum complain about the harsh rules Thailand has about foreign workers. How difficult it is to get a work permit. Especially if on a retirement visa.  Complain about companies having to hire Thai's instead of a foreigner. So, you want to work, but you can't because a Thai can do that work. You think it is not fair?  As a Thai/American,  I commend Trump for looking out for the American worker first. He doesn't owe anything to the foreign worker.

[mtls2005]

The whole H-nX and EB-N visa programs are being abused, shocker.

 

I honestly think the EB-5 "investor" visa program is more or less a criminal enterprise. But it certainly benefits real-estate types.

 

The H- program is being abused as well but the "workers" don't often complain; I guess if they did they'd be on the next boat home?