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The Debate Over US H-1B Visa: A Case for Non-Skilled Migration

The Economic Contributions of Non-Skilled Migrants in a Debate Dominated by Elite Interests

Rustam Seerat
Salsal Review
Published in
3 min readDec 28, 2024

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A MoneyGram poster, targeting migrant workers, reads, “Send money home and feel closer.” The image clicked by the author’.

The ongoing debate in the United States centers around the future of H-1B visas, which facilitate skilled immigration. Advocates like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who will run the US Government Efficiency Department under future Trump administration, argue for preserving these visas. Conversely, critics such as Stephen Bannon and Laura Loomer, often associated with the far-right, advocate for abolishing skilled immigration altogether. This article contends that non-skilled migration holds substantial value and deserves consideration.

This debate aligns with Noam Chomsky’s definition of national interests as the interests of the elite. This perspective may explain why billionaires like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy support the continuation of skilled visas. However, a crucial benefit of non-skilled migration, particularly for migrants’ countries of origin, is often overlooked.

Consider Afghanistan after the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021. Many educated youths and elites, who played significant roles in the previous government’s operations and its subsequent failures, swiftly fled the country. They were evacuated by the United States…

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Salsal Review
Salsal Review

Published in Salsal Review

Salsal Review is committed to raising voices against the injustices faced by the people of Afghanistan, particularly under Taliban rule.

Rustam Seerat
Rustam Seerat

Written by Rustam Seerat

I scout Afghanistan media for stories about women that deserve wider attention. Whatever I earn on Medium, 50% will be donated to educating children in Afg.

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