There have been fraudulent employer claims of "looming shortages" advanced by well-paid public relations employees for a very long time...i.e. at least as far back as the early 1950s in the U.S.

Why? because it is always cheaper to raise fraudulent claims of "shortage" than it is to pay IT professionals more. It is very clear that if the H-1B visa program (and related visa programs) were shut down today, that U.S. wages would rise tomorrow.

The late free-market advocate and Nobel economics laureate Milton Friedman was quoted in a 2002 ComputerWorld article. Milton labeled the H-1B visa program a "government subsidy." He is absolutely accurate. Furthermore, it is a government subsidy program that boosts Microsoft's profitability by billions annually.

How did such a "bad law" come into force? Simple... Microsoft hired the best names in the lobbying business. Jack Abramoff and his network were retained in 1995. In 1996, 1998, and 2000, Microsoft (and other high-tech employers) were able to procure beneficial (to them) changes in the H-1B visa law. Learn more by googling on the phrase "Abramoff Visa," which this author uses to describe the H-1B visa program. Currently, Microsoft has employed another member of "Team Abramoff" Michael D. Smith of Cornerstone Government Affairs to push for more government subsidies, er H-1Bs. Microsoft has spent about $1/4 million with Cornerstone since 2005. Do programmers have those kind of resources to combat such corruption? Please use the free citizen activist tools at NumbersUSA.com to push for reform. There are rumors that the SKIL Bill, which would dramatically increase H-1B levels is "waiting in the wings."