Motors Blog

This is a complex well-debated issue. Apparently, Americans and West in general seems to have missed the crux of the issue i.e. change in contemporary scenario of work place. Unlike past, today almost every aspect of job is knowledge based. Unless a country really goes about hammer and tong to improve the knowledge base and willingness of youth acquire knowledge skill it be impossible to compete effectively in technology based flat and connected world. This is no easy solution considering millions of technically well-versed youngsters in India and China, are willing go extra mile for fraction of West wages. It no longer a question of immigration of labour but more vitally, emigration of industry itself!

Immigrants deprive unskilled American (would be) workers of jobs. Soon they will be depriving them of houses...as it is no doubt anticipated that raising immigration limits will help bail out the government from the housing burden it is assuming. It is no secret that immigrants from certain countries will pay any price for a bit of real estate to buy and hold for generations. So industry is vital for immigration.

Allowing more semi skilled fools into the country that barely speak understandable English is not the answer. I work in an industry where we have traditionally hired imigrants to fill empty engineering slots. Most of these "guest" engineers are incompetent and their work has to be fixed. The solution lies in improving engineering education and attracting qualified students to train for engineering careers. In EE we have had to compete for students with the computer industry for students for too long. I do not have any ideas on how to make EE "cool" again. The computer weenies seem to have cornered that market for now. Untill EE once again becomes "cool" or we stop hiring everyone named Patel that comes walking down the street and allow pay to increase to the point where we are once again attracting top students, we are doomed to second rate engineering performance.

"allow pay to increase to the point where we are once again attracting top students"

Period, end of story.

I'd give you a GA if you where a registered user.

Has anyone considered that maybe the market for scientists and engineers is supersaturated? The universities are still churning them out because the wages made in our profession are still considered to be high. Fact is that a typical union laborer with several years experience is often making substantially more than the people that went to university and spent a fortune on an education, only to be put into a job market where the wages are being held down by allowing immigration of outsiders into the market. Seems like a situation ripe for unionization OR requiring that anyone practicing engineering or science be registered as a professional (just like physicians). After all in the USA they have the AMA as their union.

amazingly true. There is no reason to higher large numbers of competent people when you have a some cheap labor to get you half way there and then have compentent people you can fool into taking it the rest of the way

In an integrated global economy movement of factors of production such as capital, labor and technology can no longer be restricted on vested interests. However, one should look at the 'employability' of available manpower resouces in the country before embarking on immigration. Part of the problem lies with the greedy capitalism and collusion with the lawmakers to exploit the loopholes. Look at, who laughs all the way to the bank! It is neither the immigrant nor the local poor cousin, but the greedy capitalist.

The issue is a complex one and requires enormous guts by the Federal Government to provide ample scope and avenues for the local population to upgrade their skill. Mere immigration is only a first aid measure. What ails the economy is to find ways and means to share the wealth among all the populace so that the society is healthy.

Well! In a corrupt world polity, this is only a mirage. Let us hope that someday things will change for better.

Some immigration might be necessary, but when we allow it at the expense of educating our own youth we're screwing up big time. I'm pretty sure when nobody invests in serious education it's easy to talk people into the idea that we can't fill our needs for skilled workers, which allows companies to recruit CHEAP labor outside of the border. Don't get me wrong. The US has always allowed immigration and I think when done PROPERLY, it adds to our strength and diversity. I am sick of industry claiming the only way to solve problems is with immigration. Does anyone have statistics on how many succesful professional immigrants get trained in ths US and then return to their own countries once successful here? By the way, the last time I remember seeing stats on unemployment, we still had quite a few people unemployed.

Which labor shortage? There are plenty of relatively unskilled unemployed to work on assembly lines, as machine operators and such, but their jobs have been sent overseas. The shortage of highly skilled workers? Due to the failure of our "self-esteem" educational system we are not producing the people with the skills needed.

I have no objection to a limited number or skilled immigrants when there are no Americans available. Knowing how the bean-counters work it is all too likely that they are just looking for cheaper employees and that should not be allowed.