In 2025, as 200,000 tech workers face layoffs (Layoffs.fyi), American STEM graduates are being shut out of jobs they’re qualified for—jobs that companies are hiding for H-1B visa holders. A recent Newsweek article exposes a shameful truth: current H-1B law doesn’t require companies to prove they couldn’t hire an American until years after an H-1B worker is already in the role. This loophole has allowed 850,000 H-1B visas to be issued over the past decade, while 75,000 American STEM graduates annually—250,000 in 2023 alone (NCES)—languish in underemployment. White-Collar Workers of America stands with these Americans, demanding an end to H-1B and a system that puts our workers first. Let’s uncover the data, the betrayal and the path to justice.
The Data: H-1B Hides Jobs from Americans
The H-1B visa program, meant to fill genuine labor shortages, has become a tool for corporate greed. Over the past decade (2015–2025), 850,000 H-1B visas have been issued (USCIS), with 70% going to Indian nationals in tech, per Economic Times. In 2024, companies like Infosys sponsored 5,000 H-1B visas (USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub), even as tech layoffs soared past 200,000. Meanwhile, 250,000 American STEM graduates entered the workforce in 2023 (NCES), but 30%—75,000—are underemployed, working in non-STEM fields like retail, per a 2024 NACE survey.
The legal flaw is clear: companies file a Labor Condition Application (LCA) to hire H-1B workers, but they aren’t required to prove no American was available until years later, during a green card application (PERM labor certification), per DOL regulations (20 CFR 655). This allows companies to hide jobs by posting roles with unrealistic requirements (e.g., 10 years of experience for an entry-level job) or not advertising them publicly, ensuring only H-1B candidates apply, per CIS.org.
Americans Need These Jobs—Now
American STEM graduates are desperate for these tech jobs. With 75,000 underemployed annually, these graduates face a bleak future despite their qualifications. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a 4.1% unemployment rate in February 2025, but in tech, the underemployment crisis is far worse—30% of STEM graduates are stuck in low-wage jobs, earning $20,000 less annually than they would in tech roles, per the Economic Policy Institute (EPI, 2023). Over a decade, this translates to a $15 billion economic loss, as 750,000 STEM graduates miss out on their rightful careers.
These aren’t just numbers—they’re people.
CIS.org documents countless stories of American workers displaced by H-1B hires, often forced to train their replacements or lose severance. These are jobs Americans need and are qualified for—jobs in software engineering, data science, and IT that companies are hiding to exploit cheaper foreign labor.
Companies Are Wrong: Exploiting Flaws for Profit
Companies’ actions are a betrayal of American workers, enabled by a flawed H-1B system. The lack of upfront proof in the H-1B hiring process allows companies to bypass Americans without accountability. They post jobs with unrealistic requirements or don’t advertise them at all, ensuring only H-1B candidates apply. This isn’t about filling labor shortages—it’s about profit. H-1B workers are paid 20–30% less than Americans, saving companies $30,000 annually per worker, per EPI (2023). With 85,000 H-1B visas issued yearly, that’s $2.55 billion in annual savings for companies—at the expense of American livelihoods.
Worse, 99% of H-1B visa holders are “underqualified,” often from low-ranked Indian universities, yet companies hire them over qualified Americans. This prioritizes cost over quality, risking innovation and productivity in tech. Companies like Infosys, which sponsored 5,000 H-1B visas in 2024, exemplify this trend, hiring foreign workers while laying off Americans, per USCIS data. This isn’t just economic betrayal—it’s a moral failing, as companies exploit a broken system to deny Americans their rightful opportunities.
The Human and Economic Toll: A Generation Betrayed
The human cost is devastating. American STEM graduates, burdened with an average of $35,000 in student loan debt (NCES), are forced into low-wage jobs, unable to start families or build careers. The emotional toll is profound—years of education and hard work, only to be sidelined by foreign workers who benefit from jobs meant for Americans.
Economically, the impact is a $15 billion loss over a decade, as 750,000 STEM graduates miss out on tech careers. This underemployment drives down wages in other sectors, fueling inflation fears in a tight labor market (4.1% unemployment, BLS, February 2025). Meanwhile, companies save billions by hiring H-1B workers, a cost-saving tactic that erodes the American Dream and undermines our tech industry’s future.
Fighting Back with Jobs.Now: Exposing PERM Fraud to Protect American Jobs
Some great Americans on X are taking a stand against this betrayal, and we’re proud to highlight their work. The team behind Jobs.Now uncovered rampant fraud in the PERM labor certification process—where companies fake job postings to secure green cards for H-1B workers, claiming no Americans were available. To fight back, they created Jobs.Now, a tool that finds these hidden job postings, allowing Americans to apply and disrupt the PERM process. The team advises that while you’re unlikely to get hired (since the postings are often a sham), your application can stop a fraudulent PERM approval, and they encourage you to report the violation to the Department of Labor (DOL) while keeping a record of your actions.
Using Jobs.Now is simple: visit their website, search and apply for hidden job postings tied to PERM applications, often buried not on company websites, but on obscure job boards. After applying, do report that job posting to the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division (via dol.gov) as a potential PERM fraud violation, and keep a record of your application and report for future reference. This strategy not only exposes corporate fraud but also helps protect American jobs by ensuring companies can’t game the system to favor H-1B workers.
American Workers salute the https://www.jobs.now/ team—these are great Americans fighting for our workers, and their innovative approach is a powerful weapon in the battle against H-1B and PERM abuse.
A Call to Action: End H-1B and Put Americans First
White-Collar Workers of America demands an immediate end to the H-1B program and a complete overhaul of hiring laws. The 850,000 H-1B visas issued over the past decade represent a systemic betrayal of American STEM graduates. Congress must act: eliminate the H-1B cap, require companies to prove—upfront—that no American is available for a job, and impose strict penalties for hiding jobs from U.S. workers. Companies must be held accountable—stop hiring H-1B workers at the expense of Americans, or face fines and lose federal contracts.
Tools like Jobs.Now are a great start, helping Americans find hidden opportunities, but we need systemic change to stop the H-1B crisis. It’s time to put American workers first, ensuring our STEM graduates—the backbone of our tech future—get the jobs they deserve. White-Collar Workers of America is leading this fight, and we need your voice to make it happen.
Join the Fight: Share this article on X, TikTok, and Instagram with #EndH1B and #HireAmericansFirst. Call your representatives to demand the end of H-1B and new laws to protect American workers. The time to act is now—before another generation is left behind.
White-Collar Workers of America 