US needs computer game programmers

Date: Thursday, August 03, 2006 1:53 AM

<<<<< JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER No. 1531 -- 08/02/2006 >>>>>

Now we have another dire shortage - this time companies can't find enough
programmers who can make video games. Predictably the only way to solve
this shortage is by (can you guess???) increasing the number H-1B visas so
that foreigners can save the day for our deprived youths who need more
video games.

Next time your children complain that they don't have enough games to play,
please remember to tell them it's because the U.S. government is way too
restrictive on the number of H-1B visas that can be issued.

Just for the record, only about 44% of the video games are developed in the
U.S. Increasing the number of H-1Bs will probably not affect that
percentage even if this article was telling the truth. Oh well, nowadays
who cares about the truth?

Australian government count of the countries of origin for video games:
http://www.afc.gov.au/GTP/wnmgamesxcountry.html

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http://www.workpermit.com/news/2006_07_27/us/game_programmers_needed.htm

US needs computer game programmers

27 July 2006

The next generation of computer games is always under development. With
advances in computing technology, exciting opportunities exist for
spectacular gaming experiences on state-of-the art computers. And, the
United States has been the world leader in cutting edge games. Always.

Now there is (and has been) a "Game Developers Wanted" sign hanging on the
industries door. There aren't enough programmers and creative artists to
develop the game market to its full potential, according to industry
lobbyists. Positions are going unfilled. Extremely specialized and
high-paid positions.

Increasingly, development of all software is an international effort.
People from the entire world contribute to a project over the Internet. Not
only do people work from their home country and send work to a coordinating
company, but there is a need for the programmers and developers to
physically meet and interact with each other.

The IT industry has been lobbying the U.S. Congress strongly for several
years now. Ever since the H-1B visa caps were lowered to 65,000 annually,
they have complained that the U.S. does not produce enough programmers and
specialists to fill the need. They also argue that hiring people from
around the world keeps the specialty skills in the U.S., thereby lowering
the potential competition from outside the country.

Congress even allows a 20,000 'cap extension' by exempting certain
specialties from the 65,000 cap on H-1B's. A total of 85,000 H-1B's are
taken every year currently, in record time this year.

Meanwhile, the software, and especially the gaming segment, industry is
experiencing what has been called a "hiring frenzy." The competition is
intense to get the best developers to create the new generation of games
and applications. The winner in this race stands to make profits measured
in the hundreds of millions of dollars, even the billions.

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