I would love to see a source of this claim from the article for high skilled jobs. The H1B application requirements are so strict that you cannot hire them at lower wages than US workers.
This has more to do with replacing experienced workers in “senior roles” with new workers in “junior roles”, except with the same role expectations.
But yes, it is the case that H1B holders are more willing to be knowingly exploited to work in junior roles and lower salaries despite being fully aware of the shitty company practices. They are simply trying to live in a country they moved to legally, often studied in universities here, were included in the same layoffs, have to pay off the same mortgages, and often pay more taxes than equivalent domestic workers because none of the tax loopholes are available to them.
So why blame them when it’s the employers who are skirting the law by misrepresenting role requirements rather than H1B workers stealing jobs?
It’s not about the 100k number. That’s just to say that we are not talking about minimum wage level salaries here. H1B requirements are very strict about equivalent pay for domestic and foreign workers. In my career, I have never been in a situation where at the same title, role responsibilities, and company tenure, there were significant differences in salary levels.
This is 100% about employers laying off workers
It affects both US and domestic workers equally.
However it is the case that H1B workers have no other choice but to find themselves in these exploitative situations since they were also included in earlier layoffs and now have a clock ticking for them to leave the country in 60 days or find a new job. While domestic workers can spend more time exploring options or even starting their own businesses, which is an option not available to H1B workers.
Ultimately, it’s misguided to make this a domestic vs foreign worker issue when it’s the employers who are being exploitative and taking advantage of the situation because they can.