> Date:         Thu, 7 Aug 2003 14:45:18 -0400
> From:         Michael Baier <[log in to unmask]>
........
> about a year or 2 ago the German government was offering 50,000 "green-
> cards" work-permits for IT-specialist from india.
> Last I heard was, that companies in Germany hired about 500 at the most.
> Seems like most went back to India or never came to Germany.
> Then I never heard of it again. Didn't seem like a huge success
> Or maybe nobody wants to live there, ;-)

The Economist did a follow up on that story, and that
is pretty much what happened. At least with compared
to jobs in England and the USA, most foreign IT works
just did not want to go to Germany. They did not get
many applications.

Two factors seem to affect the situation. Mostly the
language barrier. Easier for Indias to go to English
speaking countries. 2nd, if you like the place its
easier to become a citizen in the UK or USA. In
Germany there are 2nd generation turks, born and
raised German, who still can't be citizens.

Its been said for close to 200 years that the USA
is a brain drain, pulling the best and brightest
that the world has. Of course, the IT industy
and the HB1 program is the first time that the
highly educated were asked in temporarily, given on
the job training, and then sent back to compete
with the domestic industry rather than become part
of it permantently. Probably not going to be the
winning strategy the old way was in the long run.

Jerry Finn
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