Increase or decrease number of visas given to unskilled laborers?

[Tancred]

The debate over visas for unskilled laborers seeking work in the US is brewing in my argumentation and debate class and I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are about it. The question was whether or not the federal government should be increasing or decreasing the number of visas it gives to unskilled laborers.

 

[Care4all]

i think if there are positions opened for unskilled laborers and the company in the usa can not fill those positions within the usa's workforce, then this company or farmer, should be allowed to legally bring in temporary, unskilled labor through our visa system, to fill the need.

I do believe this should NOT be solely from one country,ie mexico, but the impoverished in all countries should be considered for the migrant or temporary jobs.

i think upping the visas on unskilled labor would reduce illegal aliens.

 

[BolshevikHunter]

i think if there are positions opened for unskilled laborers and the company in the usa can not fill those positions within the usa's workforce, then this company or farmer, should be allowed to legally bring in temporary, unskilled labor through our visa system, to fill the need.

I do believe this should NOT be solely from one country,ie mexico, but the impoverished in all countries should be considered for the migrant or temporary jobs.

i think upping the visas on unskilled labor would reduce illegal aliens.

C4All, I wouldn't have a problem with that if those here on VISAs didn't use the chance to have an anchor baby. Yes I agree, I think other unfortunate folks around the World should get a fair shot at those jobs instead of Mexicans dominating them. However In my opinion, We simply cannot shoulder the Worlds poor, we can't. Plus, We have many unskilled laborers who are sitting at home on their ass collecting Socialist hand outs. There are millions of people collecting welfare and unemployment checks who easily could be filling those jobs. It's kind of counter productive if you really think about it. ~BH

 

[gekaap]

How can a company not fill unskilled labor positions? Especially in an economy with such high unemployment? Relying on immigrant labor for unskilled positions is NOT going to help our country. First of all, access to legal avenues to immigration doesn't mean jack when it comes to illegal immigration. They do it illegally because that's what they want to do. It's more expensive and harder to go the illegal route, but they do it anyway. So increasing visas is not likely help to curb the problem. At best, it will give them initial legal status, and when it runs out they will stay anyway.

Unskilled workers are the Americans who are most negatively affected by immigrant labor. Because immigrant laborers are willing to do the job for sub standard wages, and in sub standard conditions, Americans that would otherwise be filling those positions meet stiff competition to get jobs, and have to settle for depressed wages and poor and often unsafe working conditions. We will not be doing those Americans a favor by bringing in more people with whom they have to compete.

Increasing visas for unskilled workers plays right into the hands of employers who would choose to rely on immigrant labor, and the patterns that cause American workers to suffer. It is often said that immigrants do jobs that Americans aren't willing to do, but the truth is that there's no such thing as a job that Americans aren't willing to do. They just aren't willing to do those jobs for pennies on the dollar and under poor conditions. Increasing visas for the unskilled will encourage employers to continue offering only depressed wages and lesser working conditions to all workers, including Americans. With so many Americans out of work, it should be relatively easy for employers to find people to fill unskilled positions. They just need to offer a decent wage and decent conditions. Any employer who is having difficult filling such positions is already failing to do those things. Making more immigrant labor available to him will only exacerbate the problem.

Truth be told, I can't see the reason to have ANY visas available for unskilled labor. The only people who benefit are slave driver employers, and foreigners. The American people are harmed by the entire thing.

 

[Care4all]

i think the term, unskilled, is too broad....

i was thinking more on the lines of migrant worker....picking our crops...Americans find the work too tough for the 'pay'.....i suppose these big agri corps could raise the wage until they entice American workers.....?

Same with the other broad brush 'unskilled' worker jobs left open....if American companies paid more, Americans would take those jobs too.....like lawn care, housekeeping etc....

 

[Care4all]

for the longest time, during the summer season up here, our tourist attraction hotels and shops could not get help, could not get chambermaids or extra front desk clerks or sales associates for their shops.....so they used temporary visas to bring in Jamaicans for the hotel needs and eastern europeans for the shops....

there are so few people living here year round, but the population on the coast during the summer is 10 fold, at least! The money they offered for these positions did not attract the Maine-iacs.....

this year, i saw that this resort area businesses promised not to bring in workers on visas as they had, and to use local Mainers for these jobs....so, they either upped their pay, or the Mainers are hard up and will take any job they can get???

 

[LostAmerican]

The Mexicans in Chicagoland drive $50,000 SUVs. I don't think minimum wage is enough to keep their chrome hubcaps shining. They are fleecing every type of aid that was meant for poor Americans and making it "Latino Only"!

There were people from Kenya that went to the trouble to learn English to become Americans but LA RAZA took over the American Immigration Department so only their master race can set foot on US soil.

Those same Kenyans are now learning Chinese.