In the March 29, 2007 article "Tech worker visa scramble begins," Debra Fiori, director of human resources for RTKL Associates, a Baltimore-based architecture firm alleged that "There's a shortage of U.S. workers in architecture and engineering" and explained how RTKL was preparing to beat the H-1b filing deadline for several H-1b applications.What RTKL failed to disclose is that, according to Department of Labor LCA records, RTKL pays their H-1b architects a wage as low as $32,000. (While some are Intern positions, most are not, and only three about 100 H-1b positions pay more than $60,000 salary.)
Furthermore, in spite of RTKL’s claim of a labor shortage – and no access to H-1b workers for several months – their website lists only a handful of open positions in each major city.
H-1b Proponents claim that the program has substantial wage protections for U.S. workers. But DOL approved these $32,000 architect positions.
3 comments:
I just took a look at the database. Those who get $32k are INTERN ARCHITECTS.
INTERN ARCHITECTS match this in Baltimore:
OES/SOC Title: Architectural and Civil Drafters
Level 1 Wage: $13.38 hour - $27,830 year
Level 2 Wage: $16.14 hour - $33,571 year
Level 3 Wage: $18.90 hour - $39,312 year
Level 4 Wage: $21.66 hour - $45,053 year
The ARCHITECT got $90k!
Prevailing wage in Baltimore:
OES/SOC Title: Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
Level 1 Wage: $20.85 hour - $43,368 year
Level 2 Wage: $25.78 hour - $53,622 year
Level 3 Wage: $30.72 hour - $63,898 year
Level 4 Wage: $35.65 hour - $74,152 year
First, a BS degree is required to be an H-1b worker, so if these are interns, they must be interns at the Masters level.
Second, many of Architect (not Intern) jobs cite an H-1b salary below $40k, for example HERE
You cite the LEVEL 1 wage: About 80% of H-1b applications rely on this level one as "prevailing wage." H-1b workers are supposed to be "best and brightest" - is $21/hour the prevailing wage for the best and brighest architects in America - or are H-1b undermining Americans' wages?
The example you showed was for the year 2001... Please go to DOL to see 2006 data... A H-1B architect got 90k...
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