H1B visas and employment numbers at USAA (San Antonio, Plano: 2013, credit card)

[gtoman67z]

Had always known they were the biggest employer in town, but most recent story I could find from MySA.com listed 16,400 employees in March 2013. I can only presume that they have grown since then, but my major point of curiosity concerns what percentage of their professional staff (information technology workers especially) are here on H1B visa status. Anyone have any info?

The H1B visa classification permits a foreign national to work in the United States for a temporary period. It is available for offers of employment that are in a specialty occupation*. A person may hold H1B status for a maximum of six years, and it may be issued in increments of up to three years by the USCIS.

[Azure110]

I have been told that usually workers from India make up about 70% of H1B visas nationwide and most of USAA's own H1B workers are in fact Indian.

[flashfearless]

A number of Indians in that status have been laid off at USAA because they are reducing their exposure to H1 visas because of the current political climate. I know this from a couple of folks who are now working in our area because of usaa’s move.

[LakeLifePA]

It took a republican president for them to start hiring Americans. This from a company that touts American values and veteran pride. As a veteran, and an IT worker, I'll never do business with them.

[gtoman67z]

Still looking for an answer on the current numbers here. Granted that not all of USAA's workforce is involved with IT, but, using the 2013 numbers in combination with Azure's 70% (nationwide) figure would yield somewhere in excess of 10,000 folks. As a longtime medical center commuter on Fred Rd, I've long been aware that EVERYONE (or >95% when not using truthful hyperbole) crossing the street at USAA Blvd is south asian.
I'm not sure what's the driving factor behind this is, but I'd be willing to wager that the sheer unavailability of local workers with an IT skillset has got to be in the top three reasons, ergo the reason why I'm skeptical about our chances for landing the Amazon II headquarters.
Final thought- This isn't getting solved overnight, or legislatively for that matter.

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by gtoman67z

Still looking for an answer on the current numbers here. Granted that not all of USAA's workforce is involved with IT, but, using the 2013 numbers in combination with Azure's 70% (nationwide) figure would yield somewhere in excess of 10,000 folks. As a longtime medical center commuter on Fred Rd, I've long been aware that EVERYONE (or >95% when not using truthful hyperbole) crossing the street at USAA Blvd is south asian.
I'm not sure what's the driving factor behind this is, but I'd be willing to wager that the sheer unavailability of local workers with an IT skillset has got to be in the top three reasons, ergo the reason why I'm skeptical about our chances for landing the Amazon II headquarters.
Final thought- This isn't getting solved overnight, or legislatively for that matter.

I always thought it was a sneaky way for USAA to save on IT staffing costs, not so much shortage of IT workers because a large company like USAA could attract talented IT staff if they were willing to pay for it.

[pobre]

USAA is having trouble attracting millenials, which comprise a large number of the IT staff they are looking for. Things like relaxed dress codes, work from home, opening a Plano office are just some of the things they have been trying. San Antonio is a great city for families, but they have heard again and again that it just isn't a dream city for those who are younger and single.

Having said that, they have long employed contract workers, many of whom are from Indian companies.

[flashfearless]

Many HR reps have told me that they stay away from millenials because of their sense of entitlement.

I've been in the IT field as a developer / architect for 30+ years. By age 40 in 2004, I was a VP at a very large credit card company making 6 figures eligible for up to 25% bonus. Sprinkle in recession, job moves and location changes and I am just now getting back to that same level. I would absolutely love to have some of that same talent that I worked with around 2000-2005, which mostly american talent peppered in with 25% indian talent The indian folks we had were very talented, welcomed american culture and genuinely wanted to become americans. We built call center applications with 3000+ concurrent users in 8 call centers. Some of the most challenging problems I've ever had in my career.

Even if it was legal for me to focus on only hiring US talent for a new opportunity like that, I would not be able to find enough US talent in San Antonio for it. Or, I'd have to overpay their market value to attract some NY or WA talent to relocate. It's the reality of the IT framework here in San Antonio.

Thankfully, the indian talent I work with now are talented and they work. They know if they don't pull their weight, they will be out. Not as many now embrace american life like they used to when you first saw them enter the work force. They didn't have the numbers then, so you didn't find guys with BO problems, with spacial issues (don't understand personal space), or with the breakroom reeking of curry. Or being pressured to go to vegetarian places for lunch. I put up with it because they are working hard, and most are talented. Most Fridays when I eat out, I eat out alone because I can only take so much of the curry.

I just have my countdown timer (currently at 1774 days) for retirement...

[hindsight2020]

Interesting. What you're describing (wrt Indians) doesn't sound like a particularly assimilation-prone demographic to me. This is especially the case when compared to the mexican-american majority demographic that is being dogwhistled to in this thread as the reason for San Antonio's lack of "skilled" workforce. This isn't a tribal defense of Mexicans from me mind you. I'm certainly not a fan of the mexican-american hegemony in South Texas as a 1st generation Puerto Rican, having to constantly caveat to the ignorant anglo culture at-large that Hispanic in America does not singularly mean Mexican, however it may statistically in Texas. But a spade is a spade. They appear to be no less likely assimilate in earnest than these so called american flag waving South Asians. As such, these corporate assumptions may need to be re-evaluated.

The single people canard I do buy. San Antonio is more family focused as a lower cost of living alternative to the coasts. As a head of household I have zero issue with that. Life isn't ice cream, everywhere doesn't have to be everything to everyone, and thank god for that. If more people found alternative outside the same watering holes, our housing costs as a percent of median salary wouldn't be so house poor nationally in the first place. When Americans only consider the top 50 metros as desirable and bona fide dignified living choices, it creates a problem for everybody as we cram employment outlets into them.

[L210]

Originally Posted by flashfearless

Many HR reps have told me that they stay away from millenials because of their sense of entitlement.

I've been in the IT field as a developer / architect for 30+ years. By age 40 in 2004, I was a VP at a very large credit card company making 6 figures eligible for up to 25% bonus. Sprinkle in recession, job moves and location changes and I am just now getting back to that same level. I would absolutely love to have some of that same talent that I worked with around 2000-2005, which mostly american talent peppered in with 25% indian talent The indian folks we had were very talented, welcomed american culture and genuinely wanted to become americans. We built call center applications with 3000+ concurrent users in 8 call centers. Some of the most challenging problems I've ever had in my career.

Even if it was legal for me to focus on only hiring US talent for a new opportunity like that, I would not be able to find enough US talent in San Antonio for it. Or, I'd have to overpay their market value to attract some NY or WA talent to relocate. It's the reality of the IT framework here in San Antonio.

Thankfully, the indian talent I work with now are talented and they work. They know if they don't pull their weight, they will be out. Not as many now embrace american life like they used to when you first saw them enter the work force. They didn't have the numbers then, so you didn't find guys with BO problems, with spacial issues (don't understand personal space), or with the breakroom reeking of curry. Or being pressured to go to vegetarian places for lunch. I put up with it because they are working hard, and most are talented. Most Fridays when I eat out, I eat out alone because I can only take so much of the curry.

I just have my countdown timer (currently at 1774 days) for retirement...

It's hard to believe that they can avoid millennials since the oldest ones are in their mid-30s. If you cut out all these experienced people with up to date knowledge from mid-20s to mid-30s, then you don't have much of a talent pool left. I've heard, though, that age discrimination against older workers is a common problem in IT.