Some IT jobs signal preference for visa holders, report claims

[OhioChick]

Group calls on job board to pull problematic ads

July 6, 2012 06:00 AM ET

Computerworld - A group that monitors IT help wanted advertisements claims that there are many job ads specifically designed to recruit visa holders and not U.S. workers, a practice it charges is discriminatory.

These IT companies often express in the ad's job title a specific interest in hiring someone on a visa. The ads may often include asking for someone on "OPT" -- that is, a recent college graduate who can work under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa program.

The OPT program allows someone to work in the U.S. for up to 29 months on a student visa and doesn't provide the same prevailing wage requirements that H-1B employers must follow. The U.S. in 2008 extended the amount of time someone can work on OPT from 12 to 29 months. OPT workers, specifically, tend to be hired by a wide range of companies. (See accompanying list.)

The report by Bright Future Jobs, a group that advocates for workers on tech labor issues, cites 100 job ads on Dice.com that appeared over a period of several months. The report says these ads were designed to signal a preference for hiring foreign workers.

More: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9228834/Some_IT_jobs_signal_preference_for_visa_holders_report_claims

[pnwmom]

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