https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb2Iviec4o8
(Video above: Former Infosys employee Jay Palmer testifies against the H-1B visa program)
WASHINGTON — Jay Palmer, a Montgomery resident, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week against increasing the number of H1-B visas, sharing the story of how he has personally seen Americans lose their jobs to foreign workers.
H-1B visas are given to immigrants to come work in specialized fields, usually in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) jobs. But Mr. Palmer alleges, and the Justice Department agrees, that some companies are illegally and immorally using the visas to displace American workers.
He laid out a recurring scenario in which American workers who have gone to college and received ongoing training in a technical field are being replaced by an influx of low-skill foreign workers. In many cases, Palmer said American workers are even being asked to train their replacement before being laid off or fired, then required to sign an agreement that they will not publicly discuss why they were pushed out of the company.
Palmer saw this happening first-hand at his employer, Infosys, and became a whistleblower.
“I saw Americans being replaced. We brought in H-1B workers. Didn’t matter if [they] had skills or not. We brought them in, sat them in cubicles, and watched the Americans train [their own replacements]… They call it ‘knowledge transfer’ but we all know that’s an illusion. It’s all about cheaper labor,” Palmer testified.
Palmer said Infosys, which eventually had to pay a $34 million fine, isn’t the only company taking advantage of the visa program. He also pointed a finger at California utility company South California Edison, and American legacy Harley Davidson.
“I cannot emphasize enough that the H-1B workers that are replacing the US workers have minimal skills and little to no business knowledge,” Palmer said. “The idea of knowledge transfer is absurd. Americans are training these people on how to do their jobs.”
H-1B labor market expert and Rutgers professor Hal Salzman also testified at the hearing, saying the U.S supply of highly-skilled graduates far exceeds the hiring needs of STEM industries, and the program is likely a factor in the stagnant wages in the tech industry.
Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) has long been an opponent of expanding the H-1B visa program, saying the government should incentivize companies to hire American workers instead.
“This Congress represents the people of the United States,” Sen. Sessions said during the committee meeting. “Yes, bringing in talent to America is a good thing, but we have no obligation to yield to the lust of big businesses.”
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— Elizabeth BeShears (@LizEBeesh) January 21, 2015
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