In my last blog posting I pondered whether people were placing fake IBM job advertisements or whether IBM instinctively engages in visa abuse.
I have learned conclusively that it is the latter.
An intrepid reader has pointed out that the abusive behavior at IBM is even more flagrant than I had imagined. To view this firsthand, I:
- Went to ibm.com; then
- Selected JOB SEEKERS; then
- Selected SEARCH JOBS AT IBM; then
- Entered "BOISE" under KEYWORD SEARCH; then
- Clicked SEARCH.
The first job list was "Lead Specialist -SAP APO DP (Landed) - GBS".
Listed under mandatory job requirements for this position, one finds:
- "Should have a valid OPT work permit for legal work authorization in the US";
- "Must possess India work authorization".
Yet, the work location specified is "Boise, IDAHO".
In other words, to be eligible for this job in the United States, you have to be an Indian national on a visa. This is clearly illegal national origin and immigration status discrimination.
The ultimate irony here is that IBM states pro forma at the bottom of the posting:
IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
I searched around the IBM jobs site and found a number of similar advertisements that have the same requirements to be an Indian national on a visa.
Hopefully either the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Discrimination will launch an independent investigation of IBM or some affected party will file a complaint against IBM. Clearly there is enough of a stench coming from IBM to warrant someone with subpoena power to get to the bottom of the mess.
Let's now recap the scoring:
- Companies claim they need more foreign workers because Americans are not available.
- IBM posts a job it claims needs to be filled urgently.
- When an American applies he is told IBM has to give preference to foreign workers because they are so much cheaper and that he would be considered if there are no "visa ready workers".
- IBM posts job advertisements that no Americans can qualify for.
No wonder they cannot find Americans qualified for the jobs.
I have no personal grudge against IBM. They are simply an endless source of material. IBM is to documenters of visa abuse what Gerald Ford was to Chevy Chase.
