I said it was foreign aid, in that it benefits their home countries more than the US. But economics is not zero-sum, so just because it amounts to foreign aid doesn't mean it's a loss per se, just that the US could be getting more out of the deal than it currently is.

I think it would probably be better for everyone if we streamlined the process of transitioning from an H1B to permanent residency, and it would definitely be better for the US economy.