H1B visas clearly lead to lower wages, longer hours of work and fierce competition. At times it feels like a modern form of slavery. Interestingly enough, the software industry is one of the few truly innovative industries in the US. Makes you wonder what would happen to healthcare/nuclear/manufacturing if it was as easy to hire foreign skilled workers and even more so if you'd allow them to create their own companies. The H1B system makes it extremely hard for even accomplished developers to stay and get a greencard eventually, start their own business - only the best and (legally) most enduring will prevail. A simple point system for visas a la Canada with a clear path to citizenship and cap on welfare support would attract a lot of creative individuals, methinks...