Thread: Why Skilled Immigrants Are Leaving the U.S.

Originally Posted by Walking Dead

It comes down to what you really want in life. If you want to be an American and become a part of this nation, you will weather any storm. If you just want to have a nice job and a safe nest - well then, you won't give a crap which country it is in.

Just working in America does not make you an American - you are just a guest who is working. It is when you make the US your country and are ready to give it all, then you are an American.

I don't disagree at all. I am speaking more from a cost benefit angle

Originally Posted by Walking Dead

You can tell I am fiercely American. There is a certain inferiority complex that goes with us naturalized citizens in the US, which we adopted as our homeland. This inferiority complex makes us ACT LIKE WE ARE MORE AMERICAN THAN APPLE PIE. )

Comes from the heart of course. Not just a shallow expression of emotion.

I have ceased being a Soviet citizen WAAAY back when.

Digressing a bit from the topic here, but why should there be an inferiority complex?

You can be proud to be an American and proud of whatever heritage you come from. For e.g., I am proud of my Indian heritage, but I also acknowledge (as I have elsewhere in the board) that the US is by far the cooler nation on the basis of the political ideals (liberty, freedom, etc. etc.) on which it was founded and which it upholds, unlike India which was founded on similar ideals but does a poor job of actually enforcing them

LEt me know if I am not reading your correctly here...

Originally Posted by gabriel

Course not, that is not my point .
"Most visitors are granted visa only when they can show some attachment to their home country."
Is this not open to subjective interpretation ?

Sure, but in most cases that I have seen, this required documented proof. For e.g., my father had along with him the legal deeds for our house in India and bank account statements etc. Of course, a lot depends on the Consular officer doing the interview.

Originally Posted by gabriel

You even get two guys in trench-coats waiting for you at the airport...
and a car ride.

Priceless

Originally Posted by gunnut

here here...

My friends always make fun of me as an "orange neck"...you know, red neck on yellow skin. I'm far more American than most Americans, especially in California, and damn proud of that fact.

Gryffindor

Originally Posted by gunnut

There are still many people who want to come here. We can easily replace those who go back home with those who really want to be here. I don't see a problem.

If it is about repacing a NASA engineer who is returing to China with a fresh PHD from that country, I would term it as a loss. Not a big one, but a loss nonetheless.

Digressing again, but shouldn't the higher ups focus more on the illegal immigrants instead?

That was not necessarily the case when we left, since most of us left on tourist visas, we could have easily returned with minimal punishment. We weren't working for the KGB or anything. Pplus it was late 80's, early 90's - things were already a lot different.

) Bottom line is that, if someone is not willing to be here, they can leave anytime. They will be replaced by others, like GN said.

That said, anyone who is not ready to make a commitment to become an American can feel free to leave.

Originally Posted by antimony

I don't disagree at all. I am speaking more from a cost benefit angle



Digressing a bit from the topic here, but why should there be an inferiority complex?

You can be proud to be an American and proud of whatever heritage you come from. For e.g., I am proud of my Indian heritage, but I also acknowledge (as I have elsewhere in the board) that the US is by far the cooler nation on the basis of the political ideals (liberty, freedom, etc. etc.) on which it was founded and which it upholds, unlike India which was founded on similar ideals but does a poor job of actually enforcing them

LEt me know if I am not reading your correctly here...



Sure, but in most cases that I have seen, this required documented proof. For e.g., my father had along with him the legal deeds for our house in India and bank account statements etc. Of course, a lot depends on the Consular officer doing the interview.



Priceless



Gryffindor



If it is about repacing a NASA engineer who is returing to China with a fresh PHD from that country, I would term it as a loss. Not a big one, but a loss nonetheless.

Digressing again, but shouldn't the higher ups focus more on the illegal immigrants instead?

Oh, its not that. I am speaking from a personal commitment perspective. Not cost/benefit.

Inferiority complex in a sense that we are not "American-born" so, many of us may feel that we have to compensate for that. Hope that clears it up.

Originally Posted by Walking Dead

Oh, its not that. I am speaking from a personal commitment perspective. Not cost/benefit.

Inferiority complex in a sense that we are not "American-born" so, many of us may feel that we have to compensate for that. Hope that clears it up.

I understand, thanks for explanation.

I disagree with you about that "having to compensate" part though.

I believe (legal) immigrants have a lot to be proud. They usually did not enjoy the benefits that born-citizens did from childhood, and often contribute much more...

Up to the admittance in the E.U., the Unites States were a big magnet for Romanian students. But things have changed : For instance you could live and study in any member state of the European Union you chose.
Acquiring a work permit however is a bit more difficult since your education and expertise have to be recognized by the state in which you chose to work.
As of 2009 for Bulgaria and Romania read this:
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_socia...on_2007_en.pdf
For country's joining the EU as of 2004
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_socia...nsition_en.pdf

Originally Posted by antimony

Gryffindor

Sorry but I don't get the reference.

Originally Posted by antimony

If it is about repacing a NASA engineer who is returing to China with a fresh PHD from that country, I would term it as a loss. Not a big one, but a loss nonetheless.

But the article was talking about high tech workers who want to come here to work, or those who are here working in high tech jobs, waiting for permanant residency.

Originally Posted by antimony

Digressing again, but shouldn't the higher ups focus more on the illegal immigrants instead?

Yes they should. As Bush should have during his watch. I make no excuses for Bush's failure at securing our borders.

Obama and the democrats won't do it. New and poor immigrants are more likely to be democrats.

Bush and the republicans didn't do it because they wanted to buy the hispanic votes, just like they wanted to buy votes with social programs.

Originally Posted by Walking Dead

Oh, its not that. I am speaking from a personal commitment perspective. Not cost/benefit.

Inferiority complex in a sense that we are not "American-born" so, many of us may feel that we have to compensate for that. Hope that clears it up.

I don't think it's an "inferiority complex." It's more like a badge of honor. We earned it. We jumped through the hoops, payed the fees, took the test, and sworn in under the stars and stripes to be an American. We are proud of what we did. We want to be here; we're proud to be here; and we don't take America-bashing lightly.

Originally Posted by gunnut

I don't think it's an "inferiority complex." It's more like a badge of honor. We earned it. We jumped through the hoops, payed the fees, took the test, and sworn in under the stars and stripes to be an American. We are proud of what we did. We want to be here; we're proud to be here; and we don't take America-bashing lightly.

Potatoes...potatos. Just kidding, I agree, although for me it manifest itself in a compensatory form, for my not being born here.

Well put, my friend.

Originally Posted by gunnut

Sorry but I don't get the reference.

Doesn't matter, put it down to my latest fetish with JK rowling's world of magic

Originally Posted by gunnut

Yes they should. As Bush should have during his watch. I make no excuses for Bush's failure at securing our borders.

Obama and the democrats won't do it. New and poor immigrants are more likely to be democrats.

Bush and the republicans didn't do it because they wanted to buy the hispanic votes, just like they wanted to buy votes with social programs.

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't rampant illiegal immigration end up creating more problems for traditional democratic votebanks of lower income groups?

After all the jobs that the illegal immigrants would go for would not be the H1B class of jobs, they would be be jobs that can be held by lower income/ less skilled groups, such as construction, farm labour or other forms of manual labour. I would think business owners who run such shops (traditionally a republican vote bank) have as much complicity in not preventing this as do the misguided liberals.

Originally Posted by antimony

Doesn't matter, put it down to my latest fetish with JK rowling's world of magic

Oh...I never had a thing for fantasy novels. I played AD&D though...the pencil and paper version.

Originally Posted by antimony

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't rampant illiegal immigration end up creating more problems for traditional democratic votebanks of lower income groups?

Only when fighting for power within the democrat party. They normally unite against a common foe, the rich and the conservative, the MAN, if you will.

Originally Posted by antimony

After all the jobs that the illegal immigrants would go for would not be the H1B class of jobs, they would be be jobs that can be held by lower income/ less skilled groups, such as construction, farm labour or other forms of manual labour. I would think business owners who run such shops (traditionally a republican vote bank) have as much complicity in not preventing this as do the misguided liberals.

You are exactly right. Liberals want more votes and the businesses want more bodies. Who gets screwed? The legal immigrants and the conservatives.