Discussion questions for April 16, 2009

global it workforce.pdf
"Immigration and the Global IT Workforce"
Communications of the ACM, July 2001, pp. 34-38

1.  This article was written several years ago, so it may help
to begin with some background:  What is the H1-B visa program?  
What is its purpose?  Who actively supports/opposes it?

2.  Do other countries besides the US have a similar program
to make it easy for foreign technical workers to obtain a work visa?
For example, how easy would it be for you to get a job abroad?

3.  According to the article, what is the state of the IT
labor market in the US and abroad?

4.  What makes a country an attractive destination for IT workers?
What country-to-country contrasts does the article highlight?

5.  What is the result of having an international shortage of
IT workers?  What solution does the article suggest?
Are there other factors not considered?

-----

h1b-fraud.pdf
"H-1B Benefit Fraud and Compliance Assessment"
US Dept. of Homeland Security, Sept. 2008

6.  What are some important Federal regulations regarding the
hiring of foreign workers under the H1-B visa program?

7.  What are the most significant or interesting findings in
the fraud report?  

-----

americas_loss.pdf
"America's Loss is the World's Gain"

8.  What are some significant reasons why foreigners choose
to return home?  What differences were there between the Indian
and Chinese responses in the survey?


9.  How might these articles have been written differently
if the subject had been treated from another country's
point of view?