In 2009, a mere 9,000 H-1Bs were received in the first monthof H-1B processing. It would be 264 days before the H-1B cap was reached. In 2010, it took 300 days until the H-1B cap was reached. In 2011,there were 236 days between the April 1, 2011 cap opening and the November 23,2011 cap being reached. Not coincidentally, the US employment rate from2009-2011 ranged between eight and ten percent.
On the other hand, the H-1B cap was reached on the very first day in 2007,2008, each year since 2013, mirroring the low unemployment rate.
The lack of H-1B petition filings in years when theunemployment rate is high is compelling evidence against the argument thatinternationally-trained workers are being used to displace American workers andlower US workers’ salaries.
Why? Because if H-1B visa labor was being used primarily to lower USworkers’ salaries, then H-1B filing numbers would not correlate with USunemployment rates. If anything, the reverse would happen because theincentive to reduce workers’ salaries is likely greater in a recessed economy,not less.