Increasing H1B Visas: Are Victoria Secret and Facebook in Competition?

The draft Senate immigration bill includes language that the technology industry has lobbied for: increasing the number of H1B worker visas from 65,000 to 110,000. As the New York Times reported today, however, tech companies are currently opposed to some parts of the bill that they believe creates excessive regulatory oversight over when a company can hire a temporary worker and lay off an American worker. Accordingly, tech companies are now working with lobbyists to amend the current bill.

Not increasing the number of H1B visas, however would affect not only tech workers but also other workers that benefit from the H1B program: fashion modes. As reported by Bloomberg News today, models compete with tech workers for H1B visas. Bloomberg News interviewed Professor Kit Johnson of the University of Oklahoma (who is attending the program I’m teaching in El Paso, TX on immigration enforcement at the border), who provided helpful explanation of the issues related to companies seeking to petition models for H1B visas. Notably, she explained that models have provided positive economic impact. Professor Johnson more fully explores this topic in her article, Importing the Flawless Girl, which she published in the Nevada Law Journal a couple of years ago.  

RCV