Conservative activist Laura Loomer, opponent of H-1Bs, at Demand Free Speech rally, Wash DC, July 2019. Getty // Stephanie Keith
Q1. H-1B visas, created by Congress in 1990, allow US employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations such as fashion models, scientists, and certain military occupations, but they are most frequently used by tech companies hiring software programmers and engineers.
Each visa is effective for three years, and can be extended another three. The number issued is limited to 85,000 per year.
How many of H-1B visas would you like to see issued per year?
Each visa is effective for three years, and can be extended another three. The number issued is limited to 85,000 per year.
How many of H-1B visas would you like to see issued per year?
(Image: Elon Musk entered US on student visa, later transitioned to H-1B)
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
0
17%
23%
12%
28%
10%
8%
27%
16%
16%
13%
17%
25k
11%
11%
12%
20%
9%
4%
27%
3%
10%
12%
11%
50k
5%
6%
5%
9%
4%
2%
0%
0%
9%
9%
5%
75k
7%
3%
10%
11%
3%
4%
0%
6%
10%
7%
7%
100k
14%
14%
14%
10%
17%
17%
1%
11%
15%
25%
14%
150k
3%
3%
2%
1%
2%
4%
6%
0%
3%
3%
3%
200k
3%
3%
2%
0%
5%
5%
1%
5%
2%
3%
3%
300k
2%
1%
3%
0%
1%
4%
9%
0%
1%
1%
2%
500k
2%
1%
2%
1%
3%
2%
1%
0%
3%
2%
2%
More than 500k
6%
9%
4%
0%
10%
10%
14%
7%
4%
4%
6%
Not sure
23%
21%
24%
18%
27%
26%
13%
38%
19%
16%
23%
Don't care
8%
5%
10%
1%
9%
14%
1%
13%
8%
6%
8%
Q2. On Friday, President Trump issued an executive order adding a $100k fee to each H-1B visa. Previously, applicants would pay $215 to enter into a lottery system, and the winners of that lottery would pay $5k to submit their full application for vetting.
The administration said US tech companies have avoided hiring American workers, and the fee, which would typically be paid by the company hiring the visa recipient, is meant to change that.
In a typical year, about 65% of H-1Bs go to to "computer-related occupations," including computer scientists, programmers, and analysts. That has meant that roughly 750k of the 13m US tech workforce are H-1B. The current CEOs of Microsoft, Google, and Tesla/SpaceX were all H-1B before becoming US citizens.
Generally speaking, do you think Americans could do the tech jobs that have been going to H-1B recipients?
The administration said US tech companies have avoided hiring American workers, and the fee, which would typically be paid by the company hiring the visa recipient, is meant to change that.
In a typical year, about 65% of H-1Bs go to to "computer-related occupations," including computer scientists, programmers, and analysts. That has meant that roughly 750k of the 13m US tech workforce are H-1B. The current CEOs of Microsoft, Google, and Tesla/SpaceX were all H-1B before becoming US citizens.
Generally speaking, do you think Americans could do the tech jobs that have been going to H-1B recipients?
(Image: Melania Trump (nee Knauss) entered the US on tourist visa, later transitioned to H-1B )
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Yes
56%
65%
48%
83%
40%
36%
70%
50%
61%
47%
56%
No, but could over time
22%
19%
25%
12%
31%
28%
19%
24%
17%
28%
22%
No, and not any time remotely soon
14%
13%
16%
3%
16%
23%
6%
16%
14%
17%
14%
Not sure
8%
4%
11%
2%
11%
11%
5%
10%
7%
7%
8%
Don't care
0%
0%
1%
0%
1%
0%
0%
0%
1%
0%
0%
Q3. Do you support the new $100k fee, and how do you think it will affect US global competitiveness in the long run if it remains?
(Image: Zoom founder Eric Yuan entered the US on an H-1B visa)
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Don't care
1%
1%
1%
1%
2%
1%
1%
0%
1%
2%
1%
H-1B visa limit was 65,000/yr -- 39% wanted 75k or fewer, 34% wanted 100k or more
Limit was 85,000/yr -- 45% wanted 75k or fewer, 25% wanted 100k or more
Original far-right MAGA (Loomer, Bannon) dislike H-1Bs while newer Silicon Vally Trump converts (Ramawamy, Musk) love them. Who will Trump side with?
17% original far-right MAGA
39% Silicon Valley
30% Won't pick a side
Trump's proposed Gold Card program would foreign nationals to buy permanent US residency for $5m. The exisinting EB-5 grants residency to those who invest $1m and created at least 10 jobs. Which would you like to see in place in US?
10% Just Gold Card
18% Just EB-5
28% Both
39% Neither
Topics
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