I've learned more about the H-1b program from people actually working for those firms and on the H-1b program than from anyone else. I'll occasionally get emails from anonymous Hotmail accounts, from people who want the truth to get out but too afraid to tell me who they are.

Some of these guys live in a state of fear and frustration. They can't change jobs without sending them to the back of the greencard line, and they can't complain because that will result in them being transfered back to India. Shameful really that we have a visa program that enables people to be exploited.

The greatest abusers of this program are the body shops - like Infosys and Wipro. I don't understand why they don't pass the Durbin/Grassley legislation and solve this problem. That legislation will cut out the body shops from the program.

Well, I do know why. This isn't a problem that powerful people want to solve.

Dear Ephraim and InfoWorld readers: Experienced American citizen technical professionals continue to be outgunned by lobbyists backed with millions of dollars from corporate "robber barons" such as Bill Gates, III of Microsoft. On March 27, 2008, I learned that CompeteAmerica is distributing mock H-1B lottery cards to Capitol Hill offices.

Of course, the "common sense" solution would be to institute a bidding system so that the highest bidder would receive a H-1B visa for their firm. However, such a plan is being opposed, as it would prevent access to "fresh (inexpensive) young blood."

In years past, one of the key weapons of employer interests was to employ lawyer-lobbyists such as Jack Abramoff, now a felon. Jack was first retained by Microsoft in 1995. "Team Abramoff" was showered with funds from Microsoft. That is why this author uses the term "Abramoff Visa" to describe the H-1B visa program. Team Abramoff worked closely with less-than-ethical legislators such as Rep. Dick Armey, Rep. Tom DeLay, Rep. Chris Cannon, and Sen. Spencer Abraham. (All Republicans.) Microsoft expended around $100 million - directly and indirectly - on political expenditures between 1995 and 2000.

By hiring "the best and brightest" Microsoft helped to procure employer-friendly changes to H-1B legislation in 1996, 1998, and 2000.

InfoWorld readers who wish to learn more may google on the title of my January, 2008 article, "The Greedy Gates Immigration Gambit" to learn more about this criminal enterprise. Please select the much more engaging PDF version of the investigative journalism article.

Please use the free activism tools at NumbersUSA.com to push for reforms of the corrupt H-1B visa program. Numbers now has more than 1/2 million members. Those big numbers make legislators pay attention.

for years american and british companies used to exploit natural resources of third world countries and then sell the finished product also there.
Coke, Pepsi, McDonalds, Levis, Nike are the 21st century examples, but this was going on since 17th Century. Remember the East Company. They came on the pretext ox trading with India and in a short span of time became the rulers themselves

Now its pay back time.
Globalization has taken a full circle, and now the same developed countries are getting paid back!

Just another reason to cut the numbers of E-3, F, H, J, and L visas, limit them to 5 per firm, and auction them off to the highest bidders.