The Senate moves toward H-1B curbs

The U.S. Senate, last Friday headed toward imposing restrictions on the hiring of H-1B workers by financial services firms that receive federal bailout funds, but the legislation fell short of what some opponents of hiring foreign workers had wanted.

The amendment, by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), would require companies receiving bail out money, mostly financial services firms, to comply with hiring rules set for "H-1B dependent" firms. These rules subject employers to a number of provisions, including a good faith effort to hire U.S. workers first.

"Hiring American workers for limited available jobs should be a top priority for businesses taking taxpayer money through the TARP bailout program," Sen. Grassley said. "With the unemployment rate at 7.6 percent, there is no need for companies to hire foreign guest workers through the H1-B program when there are plenty of qualified Americans looking for jobs."

The fate of this H-1B amendment rests on the final outcome of the full stimulus package.

For more:
 - see this Computerworld.com article

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