From 2006 to 2007 I was a contractor at QCT integrating browsers and 3rd part platforms as part of a mid sized Bay Area company. I interfaced with many folks in QCT and QIS. From 2007 to 2009, I had 4 interviews with folks I had worked with and I was clearly much more educated, experienced and informed than the folks around.
I was not made a single offer. Three of the Four teams had Indians who went on to hire their "friends" which I got to know later(I have many non powerful sources at QCOM). The other team was dominated by Asian engineers and one of my coworker at a start up got the job because her Husband was in QCOM.
Companies like QCOM with rampant nepotism can go only so far. I eventually worked for Google & went through the 10 round hardcore technical interview grind so I have certification of being good at Software Engineering. God opens doors for those who try and deserve good.
There are teams with people of one nation alone with a token American in them. I hate this approach.