Elon’s recent tweets about needing more H-1B workers sparked debate, especially among those of us in tech. It feels disconnected from reality when so many skilled software engineers (including FAANG-caliber talent) are job-seeking, alongside new CS grads entering the workforce annually.<p>The H-1B program is intended to help employers fill roles that can't be met by U.S. workers, per the Department of Labor. Yet, there’s a disconnect: despite many capable American tech workers, companies continue to submit large numbers of H-1B applications.<p>I dug into the 2024 Labor Condition Application data (which reflects employer demand, not outcomes) and compared it with Layoffs.fyi data. My findings and methodology are on the site—I'm not a data scientist but tried to keep things transparent.<p>This is a nuanced issue, and I believe the H-1B program is vital. But I can’t help wondering if it's being misused to suppress wages and bargaining power in tech, one of the last fields where single-income families can thrive without requiring a college degree.<p>Feedback on my analysis or suggestions for additional data to pull are welcome!