> There really isn't a better way to deal with the abuses. Here's some personal experience. ...
> They kept the H1-Bs because they make less money and they can't leave unless they want to return to India.
And guess who would've they fired, had they invested $100k *upfront* into hiring the H-1B worker, who is now, and going forward, working for a lower salary compared to the local worker, due to how markets work? And who, by definition, is more loyal to the company, because it's indentured servitude (and also, taxation without representation) and he/she has a way stronger incentive not to lose the job, otherwise it's an undesired move back to China or India.
Yes, the $100k will probably reduce H-1B *applications*, and will make it harder for smaller firms, while it remains economical for well-financed IT shops who will still hire plenty. But it may not reduce the number of H-1B workers allowed in. It'll perhaps just remove the lottery aspect and the long waits.
Given Trump's former comments about Norway, India and China led me to believe that he'll restore the per-region buckets for H-1Bs that used to be the case. Europeans generally got their H-1B quickly and with high certainty, while Indian and Chinese workers were playing lottery in their crowded buckets for years.
Also, I expected Trump to make skilled immigration more binary: the foreign worker is either let in, and almost automatically gets a green card (especially if from Europe - see Trump's earlier comments) or not invited into the US even temporarily, due to national security concerns. China is seen as an adversary, with some chance that any single worker is a CCP spy or at least will aid China when moving back. Of course, the Chinese or Indian worker may move back even with a quickly granted green card in hand, but it's less likely, because it's way more difficult to feel at home in the US with a temporary work permit that might or might not lead to a green card, than if someone felt more welcome and secure in their opportunity to stay, save for retirement, buy a home and the like.
The blanket, region-independent fee, and preservation of a single global pool are a surprise from Trump, but he might not be done.