Microsoft has reportedly fired 2,300 workers in the US, including 817 software engineers. While mass layoffs are not new for tech firms, the company has landed itself in trouble with new hiring requests.
American natives are outraged by reports that the tech giant requested 6,327 H-1B visas from the US government in the same month they made these firings.
Also Read – Cruel F-1 Glitch: Visa Approved, Then Refused Again
Many of these roles were identical to the ones that had just been cut. Everyone now wonders whether it is really about finding “skilled workers,” or just replacing expensive ones with cheaper H-1B labour.
One user bluntly said Microsoft is trying to “reboot their workforce with a global upgrade.” Another asked why the US government is still approving these visas when thousands of citizens are losing jobs.
Also Read – NRI’s Golden Advice to H-1Bs in a Tough Job Market
The backlash only got worse after reports revealed Microsoft has filed over 14,000 foreign labour requests this year. 82% of them allegedly offer salaries below local market rates.
Most of these are being pushed through an Indian firm, Integreon. While it seems like good news for India, the narrative that Indian talent is only being used to undercut American jobs grows stronger in the States.
Also Read – Liquid Error: Bizarre USCIS Glitch Haunts H-1Bs
Moreover, it becomes easier to exploit Indian techies’ dreams by paying them less as their survival in the country is dependent on the job.
This isn’t just Microsoft, the entire tech industry follows this practice, just not at this scale. The H-1B program is being abused, and both American and Indian workers are paying the price.
