H-1B hiring at University of Michigan sparks controversy amid ‘lack of US qualification’ concerns.
Concerns about hiring foreigners at U.S. public universities have resurfaced after new visa-related job ads at the University of Michigan sparked a row with MAGA critics who questioned whether American workers were being overlooked.The debate began again after freelance journalist Chris Brunet shared screenshots on X showing two recent H-1B visa job notices from the university. The listings showed job openings for an “average software developer” with an annual salary of $72,100 and an “average database administrator” with a salary of $75,000.Brunet showed the posts and wrote: “The University of Michigan has provided two notices of intent to hire H-1B workers.
Average software developer, salary: $72,100. Average database administrator salary: $75,000. No American software or database developer was qualified for these positions.
Job postings were linked to departments on the university’s Ann Arbor campus, including the Office of Medical Student Education and the Laboratory Animal Medicine Unit.Many social media users said publicly funded institutions should prioritize domestic workers, especially during a period when competition for jobs in the U.S. technology and professional sectors remains intense.
Controversy is also surrounding the H-1B visa program, which allows American employers to hire skilled foreign workers from foreign countries when domestic candidates are deemed unavailable. Indian and Chinese workers make up the majority of H-1B visas.More attention has been drawn to the university’s previous recruitment activity. Brunet previously shared similar H-1B notices of intent that include roles such as business analysts, with salaries ranging from $73,000 to $112,763.
These posts were also reported by American Bazaar.His reporting included other public universities as well, including the University of Arkansas, Indiana University, and the University of Maryland. At Indiana University, he cited H-1B notices for a software engineer role that pays about $74,000 and a data analyst role that pays about $85,000. In March, documents shared by Brunet also indicated that the University of Michigan intended to hire three business analysts through the same visa route.
