Yeah, I too would like to know the answer to this question. I know quite a few people who are on the H1B in the Bay Area, there is nothing to suggest that those people get paid less than their counterparts on Green Cards/Citizens. I was briefly on the H1B for less than six months; the only thing I can imagine depresses wages is the fact that it is not easy to jump jobs. However, I can't imagine that creates that much of a wage differential.

> the only thing I can imagine depresses wages is the fact that it is not easy to jump jobs. However, I can't imagine that creates that much of a wage differential.

In my case I got a 40% raise taking a new job after being laid off from the previous one in a company downsizing. For the H1B in particular the visa is issued for a particular role at a particular company with a prescribed salary. If you want the green card you have to stay in that role for that company at that salary. Everything resets (unless you're at the very end of the process) if you switch employers.

That's kind of unique to your situation though, isn't it?

That rule is in place to prevent employers from gaming the system - i.e. hiring someone as a scientist to get through approvals, then firing and rehiring them as a low-wage janitor.