H‑1B Visas Depress US Wages

Updated: 2026.03.20 30D ago 3 sources
The article argues that accepted H‑1B wage‑gap estimates are large and robust to recent critiques, implying the visa program exerts downward pressure on native tech wages. The author (George J. Borjas) challenges methodological counters and defends the use of administrative datasets to measure the effect. — If the H‑1B program meaningfully reduces wages for U.S. tech workers, it changes the cost‑benefit calculation of skilled‑immigration policy and informs debates over wage floors, labor protections, and visa caps.

Sources

Want to End Illegal Immigration? Hire American, with Daniel Kishi
Oren Cass 2026.03.20 86% relevant
The article foregrounds structural flaws in the H‑1B program (below‑market wage rules, lottery allocation) and argues these rules distort labor markets — directly linking the podcast’s claims about H‑1B mechanics to the existing idea that H‑1B policy suppresses U.S. wages.
Mark DiPlacido: Stop Blaming Tariffs
Mark A. DiPlacido 2026.03.08 65% relevant
DiPlacido argues tougher immigration enforcement will raise wages and improve outcomes for the worst‑off, which maps onto debates captured by the existing idea about how immigration policy (including labor visas and enforcement) affects U.S. wages and labor markets (actor: ICE/border policy referenced in the piece).
The H-1B Wage Gap Really Is That Large
George J. Borjas 2026.03.05 100% relevant
George J. Borjas's City Journal article defending his H‑1B wage‑gap findings and rebutting methodological criticisms.
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