H-1B Visas Are Good for U.S. Workers

Foreigners often bring rare skills that boost the productivity of their colleagues and companies

By Samuel Gregg. Excerpts:

"there is considerable evidence that the young skilled immigrant workers typically granted H-1B visas increase overall U.S. employment. One 2015 study of the employment structure of U.S. firms found “rising overall employment of skilled workers with increased skilled immigrant employment by the firm,” with the native employment expansion occurring primarily among younger workers. A more recent analysis, by the National Foundation for American Policy, likewise concluded that “H-1B visa holders do not adversely affect U.S. workers.” Instead, they contribute to “lower unemployment rates and faster earnings growth among college graduates, including recent college graduates.”" 

"Foreign workers with highly valued and often rare skills inject human capital and expertise into the U.S. workforce. This increases firms’ innovativeness and productivity."

"Redistributions of skilled workers from one sector to another occur all the time because of entrepreneurial, technological and structural changes in the U.S. economy."

"If American companies find the new H-1B costs too much to bear, it doesn’t follow that they will automatically hire U.S. workers. More likely, many large American businesses will do something guaranteed to infuriate economic nationalists—move the jobs offshore."

"Existing H-1B visa caps have led many American businesses to set up research-and-development offices abroad in cities with high concentrations of STEM workers."