A nonprofit advocacy organization for American tech workers

Hire Americans First

Employment-Based Visa Reform · Public Records & Documents

Archive notice: These H-1b harm attestations were submitted between 2008 and 2015. The archived public records of the “H-1b Harm Report” reside in this Excel file.

Documents & Records

Reference materials, fact sheets, and archived public records.

Excel · Public Records H-1b Harm Report Archive Harm attestations submitted 2008–2015. PDF Programmers Guild Fact Sheet 2015 media fact sheet. PDF Low-wage Approved LCAs Sample Labor Condition Applications, 2012. PDF Programmers Guild Points H-1b talking points, April 2013. Website · External Programmers Guild Blog programmersguild.blogspot.com

Objectives of Hire Americans First

Members of Hire Americans First allege that employment-based visas, under current statutes, constitute undue and unreasonable government interference in their liberty and right to practice in their professions. This irreparably harms both seasoned professionals and new U.S. graduates who have heavily invested in their educations and are trying to break into the field.

Accordingly, our members call on their representatives in Congress to enact the following reforms:

Smiling graduates in caps and gowns holding diplomas
  1. WHEREAS H-1b proponents allege that H-1b and L-1 workers are the “best and brightest” and possess specialized skills that are in short supply, REFORM these programs to require that the employers pay a fair prevailing wage, that is, at least what average Americans are earning within the same job classifications. (Currently the Department of Labor prevailing wage is split into four levels, and most LCAs are granted for H-1b at the entry-level one, with a wage at the 17th percentile of what Americans are paid.)
  2. WHEREAS H-1b proponents allege that H-1b are not displacing qualified U.S. workers, REFORM H-1b and L-1 such that the visas are only granted after the employer has conducted good faith, transparent recruitment, and was unable to find any qualified candidates, at any price.
  3. WHEREAS H-1b proponents allege that H-1b is necessary for U.S. global competitiveness, REFORM H-1b to only be granted to U.S. business entities. Seven of the top 10 H-1b users are Indian consulting firms. This usage undermines the competitiveness of U.S. consulting firms by underbidding them, and then shipping the development overseas.
  4. WHEREAS H-1b is a labor market subsidy and many Americans cannot afford to be full time students, REFORM H-1b to include a $1200 annual fee that would be used to fund $15,000 scholarships for American college students in STEM programs — consistent with legislation that Senator Sanders has introduced twice.

Employment-Based Visas

America’s highest-skilled workers are being displaced from their professions by employment-based visas:

H-1b

Congress has authorized employers to sponsor and hire foreign workers regardless of whether qualified Americans are available to fill the positions. Employers can legally force Americans to train their foreign H-1b replacements as a condition of receiving a severance package.

L-1

Congress has authorized employers to bring foreign workers into the U.S. for one year while continuing to pay them their foreign wage level.

PERM

Congress has authorized employers to sponsor foreign workers for green cards by simply running a few classified ads and then to find any reason possible to disqualify all American applicants.

Our Members

Colleagues gathered around a computer workstation

Our members represent Americans who either oppose or have been directly harmed by employment-based visas.

Many members have posted their testimonials and summary resumes on this site. Many are willing to speak with the media, to rebut industry propaganda organizations, such as CompeteAmerica.