The 20k provision started only last year so basically you can assume that most people getting those visas are recent graduates, because the ones who are experienced already have their H1s since a long time ago.

Of course, this is not taking into consideration various factors like working for years and then coming to the US for a graduate education.

The American education system is funded in part by the government. NSF Grants, DoD research, etc. And some of that is subsidizing your education even if you are paying full tuition.

After you are done with US grad school, the country would like to get some return on its investment. If you go straight back to India, the US loses that investment.

Of course, the Indian government makes a large investment in all the IIT students… an investment that walks out the door when an Indian gets an H-1B.

Another possible factor in the preference for american-educated students… they are more acclimated to american society… or, at least they are perceived to be.

The reason qualified foreign graduates do not get an H1B is because the “American” companies do not have a proof of their being “qualified” , cos they do not fully trust the educational system in other countries ( read India ). Fair enough , with our share of fake degrees and scams.

The real advantage the H1B offers employers is that , it helps cut down attrition. Once on an H1B you need another employer who is willing to sponsor your H1B. Thats where the wage limitation is imposed.

“H-1B aliens may only work for the petitioning U.S. employer and only in the H-1B activities described in the petition.”

A US Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident (green card) can shop their skills around. An H-1B visa holder is tied to a specific employer, and cannot sell their skills on the free market.

As for the regulations on wages, numbers can be manipulated. For example, the job could be inappropriately categorized with jobs that pay less. Also, you may be significantly better than the average employee, but they don’t have to pay you significantly more.

It is now taken for granted that you have to work on an H-1B before you can get a green card in the US. Before 1990, it did not work that way.

Increasing the H-1B visa numbers just expands a flawed program. The real solution is to increase the number of green cards available for highly skilled professionals (and their families).

If they do not offer me that salary as a minimum, then I cannot be hired.

So there goes his argument about low wages.