Importing top-notch designers to the US -- Good idea?
 

I've been playing with the idea of having one of my companies petition a kickass designer from India to the US via the H1-B program. The guy will be contracted to work at $40K a year doing designs. I've been using his services on a freelance basis for over 2 years now and he said he'd jump on the chance to get to the US via H1-B even if the $40K rate is less than the $95K I pay him (If you aggregate his freelance rate, of course I haven't paid him this full amount since he's a freelancer and works on projects. But that's how his ANNUALIZED rate would be).

I think everyone wins in this situation. I get a kickass designer that converts the specialized auction pages I build at an ROI of over $200 per bid (CTR xref ROI at EBAY) and he gets a wage that's decent (it's over 1.8M in rupees). I can't find a local designer that can do what this guy does even if I were to pay over $40K a year. This guy is gold.

So if you were in my position, is this a good deal/idea? I'm just afraid that if I petition this guy and he's in the US, he might leave and work for a competitor. There would really be nothing stopping him cuz he's got the skills and H1-B lets him take his family with him.

Any feedback on this? Site owners/ program owners only please. I'm sure the us-based designers' answers would be the same.

you cant find a guy thatll work for 40k in the states?

your gonna import a guy to take the job of an american?

somethings rotten in denmark and it aint francks breath either

Don't get emotional. It's just business. I can't find someone that will take $40K for the kind of work this guy does. Anyway, from a business perspective, is this a good deal?

Do graphic designers qualify for H1-B?

It depends on how much you pay your attorney to package your guy. I'm willing to pay top dollar to import this dude. This guy is gold.

Maybe ask the guy to sign a contract for a number of years. You don't want the guy to skip on you after he gets his green card. If he's as good as you say he is, he can easily make way more money working for someone else or for himself. Many engineers do that... come in and bail out.

i would do that with no 2nd thought after checking his personal bg. Does he have family, criminal record etc

i agree.. get him into a contract. while that will be technically unenforceable in california, and i dont know the law in other states, he won't know any better. :1orglaugh

Noncompete contracts are presumably invalid unless there's a short time limit. The time limits vary from region to region. Since immigration visas have short time spans, by tying the time limit of the noncompete to a visa holder, you effectively HOLD him (he can't get another job and if he breaks the contract with you, he's out of his visa).

Actually, this is the only scenario where professional noncompetes actually work.

Do I agree with this? NO. People are better off with outsourcing--either per project or leased staff. You have to factor in benefits, legal costs, etc.

considering the fact that for $2000.00 a month you can hire extremely talented designers in at least 20 countries what you're planning to do doesn't sound too wise to me

Yep. $2K a month is probably near the top .5% super artisan end. You probably will find a really good one even with $600 a month (direct to web designer / coder not through an outsourcer/agency).

What do you have to loose? Gotta take risks sometimes.

Who's to say he won't turn around and go back to India in a couple months...?

How would that take the job of an american, when he already said the guys does his work anyways.

Good point.