H1-B row: University of Michigan hiring software developers on $75,000 salary sparks backlash

Concerns over foreign hiring in US public universities have resurfaced after new visa-related job postings at the University of Michigan triggered a row with MAGA critics questioning whether American workers are being overlooked.The debate was started again after independent journalist Chris Brunet shared screenshots on X showing two recent H-1B visa job notices from the university. The listings showed openings for an ‘Intermediate Software Developer’ with an annual salary of $72,100 and an ‘Intermediate Database Administrator’ with a salary of $75,000.Brunet showed the postings and wrote: “The University of Michigan has filed 2 notices of intent to hire H-1B workers. Intermediate Software Developer, salary: $72,100. Intermediate Database Administrator, salary: $75,000. No American software or database developers were qualified for these positions.”The job notices were linked to departments on the university’s Ann Arbor campus, including the Office of Medical Student Education and the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine.Many social media users argued that publicly funded institutions should prioritise domestic workers, especially during a period when job competition in the US technology and professional sectors remains intense. The controversy also revolves around the H-1B visa programme, which allows US employers to hire skilled foreign workers from foreign countries when domestic candidates are deemed unavailable. Indian and Chinese workers make the majority of H-1B visas.Further attention was drawn to earlier hiring activity at the university. Brunet had previously shared similar H-1B intent notices involving roles such as Business Analysts, with salaries ranging from $73,000 to $112,763. Those postings were also reported by The 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 with a salary of around $74,000 and a Data Analyst role paying approximately $85,000. In March, documents shared by Brunet also indicated that the University of Michigan had intended to recruit three Business Analysts through the same visa route.