H-1B visa program, which allows US companies to hire foreign professionals in specialised fields, is facing growing scrutiny amid concerns about its impact on American workers.
Many US citizens, particularly in tech sectors like software engineering, have expressed frustration on social media, claiming the program makes it harder for them to secure jobs.
Now, a viral social media post is sparking a debate on whether H-1B visa holders ever feel guilty about taking jobs that could have gone to Americans.
What does the post explain?
The post states that in the 1990s, America was often seen as a land of opportunity, where factory jobs provided stable, middle-class lives, and tech positions remained largely unfilled.
With the loss of manufacturing jobs over the years, the tech industry became one of the few remaining avenues for middle-class aspirations.
Other sectors, such as healthcare, law, and finance, also offered promising career paths, but tech jobs quickly rose to the forefront due to their high demand and lucrative salaries.
However, in recent years, many American college graduates have found it nearly impossible to secure tech positions, leading to a sense of disillusionment. The rise of outsourcing and the influx of skilled foreign workers have only increased the perception that the American job market is overcrowded, particularly for new graduates who are facing fierce competition.
The social media post asks a challenging question: do foreign tech workers feel guilty about occupying jobs that could have gone to an American?
‘Why should we feel guilty?’
Netizens, both Americans and H-1B visa holders, shared their opinion on the post. A user noted,”. Two qualified American citizens were offered my job before me and both said no. I know because I’m fb friends with them. Why should I feel guilty for having my 900k job that was already offered to Americans?.”
Another added, “If you hypocrite don’t feel guilty about killing native americans and taking up their land, No one needs to feel guilty about taking away your jobs.”
A user claimed, “If you are afraid of competition this game ain’t for you.”
“A grad coming from 3rd world, abandoning their friends and family, learning English as their second language, has to pay extra taxes and rent vs A grad living with their mom paying no rent, speaking English since they were born, paying no rent, no worries of citizenship path, with friends around… Definitely unfair indeed,” wrote a netizen.
“I feel American kids should be smart enough to get into tech if they want to make money,” noted a user.
A netizen explained, “Asians enter the same interview process as a white guy and they are not able to overtake. Either US should reduce no of visas or you have to level up. I would say Americans are definitely not smarter than Asians at this point in time. CEOs of Google and Microsoft are a good example.