• Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    74
    ·
    1 month ago

    H1-B visa holders are essentially indentured servants. If they lose their job, they get deported and then it’s back to living 12 to a room in Bangalore.

    I’m honestly surprised that Elon isn’t just pushing that angle as a positive.

    • Doomsider@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      16
      ·
      edit-2
      1 month ago

      For real, he could live cam their miserable existence and say, “See how these minorities suffer for American profits!”

      Then the fireworks go off and an eagle screams. The audience cheers!

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        57
        ·
        1 month ago

        You call it whatever you want to call it. “You work at this specific company or we kick you out of the country” is as exploitive and ultra-capitalistic as you can get.

        • woop_woop@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          1 month ago

          It can be, but isn’t a guarantee. All countries do this to an extent, some do it better than others. You calling it the wrong thing trying to drive a point home with hyperbole isn’t helpful to anyone.

            • woop_woop@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              6
              ·
              1 month ago

              All countries have some sort of work for visa program, which by itself is not indentured servitude. And given there are non ultra-capitalistic countries that also have it, the practice is also not “as far as one can get”.

              Hell, to group the US 's visa program in with the ones that literally end with slavery (and are actually like what you described) is just poor form.

              • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                15
                ·
                edit-2
                1 month ago

                Again, we are specifically talking about one country’s visa program and you are downplaying the draconian nature of it with a lot of dodging and whataboutism.

                • woop_woop@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  arrow-up
                  5
                  ·
                  1 month ago

                  I’m not doing either of those things. You made a claim by misunderstanding terms for hyperbole. I said that your claim isn’t true. You backed up your claim with more hyperbole. I rebutted that with how it’s standard practice globally and even in within a larger scope is a more reasonable standard.

                  QED, the US visa program is not indentured servitude, by colloquial or exact definitions, and not ultra-capitalistic by any stretch. These are not whataboutism or dodging. They directly address your statements.

                  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
                    link
                    fedilink
                    arrow-up
                    8
                    ·
                    1 month ago

                    and not ultra-capitalistic by any stretch

                    Sorry, no. “Work at this specific company or you’re deported” is very much an ultra-capitalist position. I have no idea why you think otherwise.

          • skulbuny@sh.itjust.works
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            edit-2
            1 month ago

            I work with h1b my entire life in tech. I dropped out of university at age 20 and I’m 31 now. I am a staff engineer.

            There are small places that utilize the program correctly. One amazing friend I have is a man named Ravi. Beautiful human being and he lives in Texas now with a beautiful boy.

            I now contract with a major corporation now who dropped an H1B woman named Chaitanya who loved her daughter with a 2 day notice. She has to since scrambled to find a new job or risk deportation. Not indentured servitude, though.

      • jacksilver@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        34
        ·
        1 month ago

        No, but it does allow abuse. I’ve worked at places where the h1-b wages were lower than market rate cause they can’t really leave (they can, but finding another sponsor isn’t easy or without risks).

          • qqq@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            15
            ·
            1 month ago

            As someone who has worked outside of the US on an “immigrant visa”, I was paid normal wages and treated like a normal employee. I also could quit and look for any job I wanted. I don’t know anything about H1B, but substandard treatment definitely shouldn’t be expected just because you’re an immigrant.

            • Squirrelanna@lemmynsfw.com
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              1 month ago

              Because you are coming from a place that has a generly higher standard of living. If you get deported, you’re coming back to the US. There isn’t NEARLY as much risk.