[ganeshkrishnan]

It takes around 20+ years to go from H1b to permanent visa/green card. In the meantime your kids born in US have grown up, graduated, you have a house and everything could be yanked at the border when you are travelling.

Meanwhile vast majority of them pay into taxes and social security and leave the US and never see a dime of that money.

Immigrants are the easiest group to exploit by everyone because they have no voice and are vilified by vast majority of the people include the so called intellectuals in here.

[geodel]

So these highly skilled and smart immigrants coming on H1 to US without ever understanding what they are getting into?

They should absolutely be shunning this unfair system and helping India become vishwaguru of software.

[umanwizard]

The byzantine US immigration system absolutely is an impediment to people coming and staying here, and in my (admittedly anecdotal) estimation is a major competitive disadvantage, and a big part of the reason the UK, EU, Canada and China are making progress towards becoming tech hubs.

[lern_too_spel]

Outcomes aren't binary. For any marginal increase in immigration difficulty for skilled tech workers, there is a marginal decrease in US tech competitiveness relative to other countries.

[thatfrenchguy]

20 years only if you're born in India married to someone born in India. Not great either way though, but it's really affecting the Indian community because of their particular norms.

[toast0]

If your spouse is a US citizen or permanent resident on their own, great. But if you're on H1-B and your spouse is on H-4, I don't think their country of birth makes a difference?

If you're both on H1-B, then sure, having a different country of birth can help.

[newyankee]

Yup, left US after years of working and doubt will ever see social security for self.

[next_xibalba]

I’m sure this is no consolation, but as a born-and-raised citizen who has paid into social security for 15 years now, I have serious doubts about seeing a positive return on those taxes myself.

[BeetleB]

> It takes around 20+ years to go from H1b to permanent visa/green card.

Primarily only for Indians. For almost everyone else, it's much quicker. Most people I know get it in 2-3 years. Many in under 2 years.

(And yes, it's frankly immoral that they have a separate queue for Indians).

So don't get rid of H1B. Make it one queue.

[rbanffy]

> your kids born in US have grown up

And now even their citizenship is threatened.

[ImJamal]

If they were born here then they are citizens and nobody is advocating stripping them of citizenship.