The federal government has long allowed American companies to offer temporary employment to highly skilled foreign workers through its controversial H-1B visa program. Proponents believe the program gives firms a competitive edge in pursuit of innovation, while critics contend it pushes aside American workers in favor of immigrants. The H1-B Reform Act of 2004 capped the number of visas available and prompted other changes. Wharton management professor Britta Glennon used data from that policy change to examine how the restrictions affect offshoring, which is the practice of hiring foreign labor through foreign offices. Glennon spoke to Knowledge@Wharton about her forthcoming paper, “How Do Restrictions on High-Skilled Immigration Affect Offshoring? Evidence from the H-1B Program.” (Listen to the podcast at the top of this page.)
