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<p>Are you sure that it’s cheaper? The law states that salary must be comparable to the salaries of similar employees (and if salaries of similar employees in the specific geographic location are higher than the national average, the employer must pay the higher amount). Costs range from $3,500 to $5,000 just for the visa. If the employer fires the employee for any reason or for no reason at all, it is required to pay for transportation back to your country of origin - that could be $2,000 right there, and that seems like a decent reason for a company to try not to fire a foreign national.</p>
<p>Standard visa length is three years, and in my experience, those employees who are approaching the three year mark on the H-1B attempt to remain in the United States legally and permanently. The process of getting a green card (and eventually citizenship) is expensive, and many companies sponsor their employees’ application.</p>
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<p>Are you sure it’s a scam? Because I could swear that I work for a reputable company that hires Americans and foreign nationals (in US offices and in foreign offices); sometimes foreigners are hired directly in the United States (requiring a work visa), and sometimes they are brought here after working overseas for a few years. Not seeing the scam here… just seeing a company with the ability to hire anyone it chooses, with an advantage going to Americans simply because it costs a heck of a lot to hire a foreigner.</p>