Washington: Asserting that replacement of American workers is not the intent of H-1B work visa, the Trump administration nominee for Labour Secretary has acknowledged the shortage of skilled workers in the US.
"Some Americans have seen jobs go overseas. Some Americans have seen jobs filled by foreign workers. Indeed, I've read reports that some Americans have been asked to train their foreign replacements," Alexander Acosta, the Labour Secretary nominee, told Senators during his confirmation hearing.
"And some Americans see that jobs are available, but these available jobs require skills that they do not have," he said on Wednesday.
Responding to questions from Senators, Acosta said that it's important to look at the issue that he highlighted about foreign workers taking American jobs.
"Particularly, when, in those circumstances that I highlighted where Americans are being asked to train their foreign replacements. That is not the intent of the H-1B," Acosta said.
Acosta said for all of these, it's not just the jobs as part of an infrastructure programme or jobs that are developed for a small business but as individuals get jobs they spend money.
"Then those individuals that spend money go to restaurants. And you have this multiplier effect throughout the economy that I think is incredibly valuable," he added. According to him today many Americans are facing the same struggles his parents endured, only worse.
"My parents had jobs; but not all Americans have jobs," he said, adding that helping Americans find good jobs, safe jobs, should not be a partisan issue. In his testimony, Acosta expressed concern over skill gap.
"As I visited with Members of this Committee, I repeatedly heard that in your states the jobs are there, but the skills too often are not. In one of your states, for example, a community college was teaching welding techniques that employers no longer used," he said.
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