Reading Comprehension

The H-1B non-immigrant United States visa category allows U.S. employers to hire temporary skilled foreign workers to fill gaps in the domestic labor pool. Critics of the program claim that it is instead being used to bring economic migrants into the U.S. to work as cheap labor in jobs that could be filled by domestic workers. This outcome has potentially detrimental consequences for both domestic and foreign economies. The home countries of H-1B visa holders are losing intelligent workers to another country, where they are spending money and supporting an economy that is not their own. Domestically, corporations who employ foreign workers may benefit in the short term by paying lower wages and, therefore, keeping their production costs to a minimum. However, the long-term consequences for the U.S. economy could be harmful as jobs that would normally be filled by domestic workers have become unavailable because H-1B visa holders have been hired instead.

Wage depression is the most common complaint of the H-1B visa program, as some studies have reported that H-1B laborers are being paid significantly lower than their U.S. counterparts. This problem is prevalent within the field of technology, where the majority of H-1B visas are being used to hire foreigners to work for U.S. high-tech firms. Some claim that domestic students will be deterred from pursuing studies in the area of technology because there is less financial incentive to do so. If fewer domestic students are being trained to work within this field, then the labor gap remains, and U.S. corporations will continue to outsource the jobs to foreign workers at reduced salaries.


The author of this passage would likely propose a solution to the problems associated with the H-1B visa program based on the idea of:

A) an equitable economic exchange between U.S. employers and foreign laborers.
B) a greater economic advantage for domestic workers versus foreign workers.
C) a greater economic advantage for foreign workers versus domestic workers.
D) preventing wage depression from spreading to fields besides technology.
E) convincing domestic students that technology is still a viable field.

Pls explain your pick.

The author of this passage would likely propose a solution to the problems associated with the H-1B visa program based on the idea of:

A) an equitable economic exchange between U.S. employers and foreign laborers.
B) a greater economic advantage for domestic workers versus foreign workers. then problem 2 would prop
C) a greater economic advantage for foreign workers versus domestic workers. then problem 1 would prop.
D) preventing wage depression from spreading to fields besides technology.same as E
E) convincing domestic students that technology is still a viable field.:narrowed to one problem

IMO A
The author probably does n't want to sacrifice the interest of one group for the other.
A) an equitable economic exchange between U.S. employers and foreign laborers.
B) a greater economic advantage for domestic workers versus foreign workers. (does support only one group)
C) a greater economic advantage for foreign workers versus domestic workers. (does support only one group)
D) preventing wage depression from spreading to fields besides technology. (major problems have been related to technology and author has not discussed about any other field.)
E) convincing domestic students that technology is still a viable field. (If this were true the labor gap in US would reduce, and it will be unfavorable to H1-B visa holders/ foreign laborers.)

The problem with A is that it does not solve the problem for domestic workers. I view this as a trap answer choice that uses the word 'equitable' to dupe test-takers into picking it. The problem associated with the program are not only related to the interests of particular groups, but are rather broader societal problems related to the health of the US economy (However, the long-term consequences for the U.S. economy could be harmful as jobs that would normally be filled by domestic workers have become unavailable. The problems associated with H-1B are also global - the drain of skilled workers is detrimental to the foreign economies as well

Therefore, the correct answer choice should be one that takes into view not only the short term, but also the long term, and the broader (global) interests rather than the particular interests, and balance out the detrimental consequences described in the passage.

IMO, B is the best answer choice as it reverses the incentive to hire foreign workers as cheap labor.

IMO A

B is talking about economic advantage for domestic workers. But, as mentioned in the passage, domestic workers are already paid higher than their foreign counterparts, so IMO domestic workers already have an economic advantage. Had this option talked about economic advantage to employers hiring domestic workers, then it would have been correct one.

Please provide OA and OE.

Hi smackmartine / garima99

1) Could you explain how you feel 'author does not want to sacrifice one for the other'.

2) Do not you think, author would like to address the most common problem: "Wage depression is the most common complaint of the H-1B visa program, as some studies have reported that H-1B laborers are being paid significantly lower than their U.S. counterparts"

Ilana@MasterGMAT wrote:The problem with A is that it does not solve the problem for domestic workers. I view this as a trap answer choice that uses the word 'equitable' to dupe test-takers into picking it. The problem associated with the program are not only related to the interests of particular groups, but are rather broader societal problems related to the health of the US economy (However, the long-term consequences for the U.S. economy could be harmful as jobs that would normally be filled by domestic workers have become unavailable. The problems associated with H-1B are also global - the drain of skilled workers is detrimental to the foreign economies as well

Therefore, the correct answer choice should be one that takes into view not only the short term, but also the long term, and the broader (global) interests rather than the particular interests, and balance out the detrimental consequences described in the passage.

IMO, B is the best answer choice as it reverses the incentive to hire foreign workers as cheap labor.

Thanks. I tend to agree with your perspective. Moreover, the first line of 2nd para 'most common complaint' also point towards what you mentioned. From that angle, B appears better

But this does not deny the fact that author does not want to support any one particular group - he is neutral, leading to A.

Could you explain how to address this confusion between A & B

patanjali.purpose wrote:Hi smackmartine / garima99

1) Could you explain how you feel 'author does not want to sacrifice one for the other'.

2) Do not you think, author would like to address the most common problem: "Wage depression is the most common complaint of the H-1B visa program, as some studies have reported that H-1B laborers are being paid significantly lower than their U.S. counterparts"

In the 1st paragraph after defining H1- Visa, the author says that "This outcome has potentially detrimental consequences for both domestic and foreign economies" Till end of paragraph 1, the author says how H1-Visa has affected both foreign workers in terms of wage and domestic workers in terms of job availability. The author is concerned about both of these groups, so no way in his proposal he would suggest something that will sacrifice one's interest for that of the other.
Only Option A deals with foreign workers and EMPLOYERS,who create unbalance wage for H1-visa holders(foreign workers), without sacrificing any interests of domestic workers.

Hope its clear.

IMO:A

Ilana@MasterGMAT wrote:The problem with A is that it does not solve the problem for domestic workers. I view this as a trap answer choice that uses the word 'equitable' to dupe test-takers into picking it. The problem associated with the program are not only related to the interests of particular groups, but are rather broader societal problems related to the health of the US economy (However, the long-term consequences for the U.S. economy could be harmful as jobs that would normally be filled by domestic workers have become unavailable. The problems associated with H-1B are also global - the drain of skilled workers is detrimental to the foreign economies as well

Therefore, the correct answer choice should be one that takes into view not only the short term, but also the long term, and the broader (global) interests rather than the particular interests, and balance out the detrimental consequences described in the passage.

IMO, B is the best answer choice as it reverses the incentive to hire foreign workers as cheap labor.

HEY,
I do agree wid the paraphrase u told, but i am not able to get that paraphrase is discerned from option B. The question asks what author would consider if he gives a solution and i beleive its certainly not the case that "domestic workers are at a greater economic advantage versus foreign workers" because both domestic and foreign cases have problems concerning H-1B programme. How you have decided that domestic workers are at economic advantage?? please explain

Thanx