I agree with the Economist, and PG, that the US immigration system is very poor.
However, any recommendation to expand the H1B program must include a recognition that this program severely curtails the freedom of the skilled workers who come here. By and large, consuting, startups, and other non-corporate sponsored work is out of the question.
This is why I find it so irritating when people point to Andy Grove, Sergey Brin, and other immigrants as evidence of the value of the H1B. Don't they know these people wouldn't have been allowed to start a company under the terms of the H1B visa?
The H1B says "we'll allow you to come here to work for Oracle, but we won't allow you to come here to start a company that competes with Oracle."
However, any recommendation to expand the H1B program must include a recognition that this program severely curtails the freedom of the skilled workers who come here. By and large, consuting, startups, and other non-corporate sponsored work is out of the question.
This is why I find it so irritating when people point to Andy Grove, Sergey Brin, and other immigrants as evidence of the value of the H1B. Don't they know these people wouldn't have been allowed to start a company under the terms of the H1B visa?
The H1B says "we'll allow you to come here to work for Oracle, but we won't allow you to come here to start a company that competes with Oracle."