Rumor around the campfire is that practice relates to H1B applications. Before you ask to look outside the country, you need to demonstrate that you looked inside. And, as the story goes, you're not held to using the same requirements overseas that you do locally.

Ergo: list impossible requirements, tell the government you tried real hard, import a serf that meets your actual requirements.

(For the record the only problem I have with H1Bs, is that the program sends them home by default. If we need engineers, why isn't the program designed to keep them and protect them from employers that might try to take advantage of their status?)

The sounds like a very clever strategy. The kind most middle managers I've known couldn't come up with. My experience is that it's all template language, and the old skill keyword gets replaced with new one.

So instead of needing a Java dev with 10 years experience, they want a Ruby dev with 10 years experience. Just click ctrl-H in Word and replace all instances of Java.

After all, if a company wouldn't settle for a Java dev with less than 10 years experience, so why should they settle for a Ruby dev with less? Managers don't want to look like they are compromising standards.