A federal judge on Monday struck down the $100,000 fee that US President Donald Trump had imposed last year on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers, concluding that it constituted an unlawful tax that Congress never authorised.&nbsp;US District Judge Leo Sorokin in Boston issued the ruling in a lawsuit filed by 20 Democratic state attorneys general challenging a fee Trump announced in September that dramatically raised the cost of obtaining H-1B visas.&nbsp;The ⁠H-1B programme offers 65,000 visas annually, with another 20,000 visas for workers with advanced degrees, approved for three to six years. Earlier, employers seeking a visa for a foreign worker typically paid about $2,000 to $5,000 in fees depending on various factors.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-strikes-made-iran-stop-attacks-fight-against-tehran-hezbollah-not-over-netanyahu-1780939147844">Israeli strikes made Iran stop attacks, fight against Tehran, Hezbollah ‘not over’: Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;The fees hike has discouraged H-1B visa requests, according to court filings. As of February 15, US Citizenship and Immigration Services had received just 85 payments ⁠of the $100,000 fee, the administration said in a March filing.&nbsp;However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, Markwayne Mullin, told a Senate panel recently that more than 200,000 applicants seeking H-1B visas to work in the US paid $100,000 for expedited processing during fiscal year 2026.&nbsp;The administration argued that the fee constituted a monetary penalty that the president had lawful authority to impose under federal immigration law to restrict the entry of ⁠certain foreign nationals. Trump administration officials projected it as an initiative to encourage companies to hire Americans instead.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-sanctions-irgc-navy-unit-2-iranians-over-crippling-strait-of-hormuz-blockade-1780933198425">EU sanctions IRGC Navy unit, 2 Iranians over crippling Strait of Hormuz blockade</a>&nbsp;The Trump administration contended that the judge had no authority to get involved in the visa fee dispute. The Justice Department claimed Trump’s action was unreviewable for multiple reasons and the judge should toss the states’ case.&nbsp;But Sorokin, who was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, concluded that the fee was not a penalty but a tax that ⁠the Republican president lacked any authorisation from Congress to issue.“Here, the substance and application of the $100,000 payment reveal that it is ⁠a tax, regardless of what the payment is called,” he wrote.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-announces-end-of-military-operations-against-israel-warns-harsher-action-if-lebanon-attacked-again-1780925146328">Iran announces end of military operations against Israel, warns ‘harsher’ action if Lebanon attacked again</a>&nbsp;The president had dramatically raised the cost of visas for highly skilled workers in an executive order last year.&nbsp;On June 3, Mullin said the DHS has the authority to waive a new $100,000 H-1B visa fee in certain cases, offering potential relief to employers facing high recruitment costs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Speaking at his first Senate budget hearing as DHS secretary, Mullin also said the department can consider fee waivers on a case-by-case basis after Senator Susan Collins of Maine pointed out that a rural hospital had to pay the fee to hire a surgeon from abroad after failing to find a qualified US candidate. “We do have some authority and flexibility to be able to waive some of this on a case by case,” Mullin said.

US District Judge Leo Sorokin, who was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, concluded that the $100,000 fee for H1-B visa was not a penalty but a tax that ⁠the Republican president lacked any authorisation from Congress to issue.

A federal judge on Monday struck down the $100,000 fee that US President Donald Trump had imposed last year on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers, concluding that it constituted an unlawful tax that Congress never authorised. US District Judge Leo Sorokin in Boston issued the ruling in a lawsuit filed by 20 Democratic state attorneys general challenging a fee Trump announced in September that dramatically raised the cost of obtaining H-1B visas. The ⁠H-1B programme offers 65,000 visas annually, with another 20,000 visas for workers with advanced degrees, approved for three to six years. Earlier, employers seeking a visa for a foreign worker typically paid about $2,000 to $5,000 in fees depending on various factors. Also Read: Israeli strikes made Iran stop attacks, fight against Tehran, Hezbollah ‘not over’: Netanyahu The fees hike has discouraged H-1B visa requests, according to court filings. As of February 15, US Citizenship and Immigration Services had received just 85 payments ⁠of the $100,000 fee, the administration said in a March filing. However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, Markwayne Mullin, told a Senate panel recently that more than 200,000 applicants seeking H-1B visas to work in the US paid $100,000 for expedited processing during fiscal year 2026. The administration argued that the fee constituted a monetary penalty that the president had lawful authority to impose under federal immigration law to restrict the entry of ⁠certain foreign nationals. Trump administration officials projected it as an initiative to encourage companies to hire Americans instead. Also Read: EU sanctions IRGC Navy unit, 2 Iranians over crippling Strait of Hormuz blockade The Trump administration contended that the judge had no authority to get involved in the visa fee dispute. The Justice Department claimed Trump’s action was unreviewable for multiple reasons and the judge should toss the states’ case. But Sorokin, who was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, concluded that the fee was not a penalty but a tax that ⁠the Republican president lacked any authorisation from Congress to issue. “Here, the substance and application of the $100,000 payment reveal that it is ⁠a tax, regardless of what the payment is called,” he wrote. Also Read: Iran announces end of military operations against Israel, warns ‘harsher’ action if Lebanon attacked again The president had dramatically raised the cost of visas for highly skilled workers in an executive order last year. On June 3, Mullin said the DHS has the authority to waive a new $100,000 H-1B visa fee in certain cases, offering potential relief to employers facing high recruitment costs. Speaking at his first Senate budget hearing as DHS secretary, Mullin also said the department can consider fee waivers on a case-by-case basis after Senator Susan Collins of Maine pointed out that a rural hospital had to pay the fee to hire a surgeon from abroad after failing to find a qualified US candidate. “We do have some authority and flexibility to be able to waive some of this on a case by case,” Mullin said.

US District Judge Leo Sorokin, who was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, concluded that the $100,000 fee for H1-B visa was not a penalty but a tax that ⁠the Republican president lacked any authorisation from Congress to issue.

Federal judge rules Trump’s $100,000 fee for H-1B visas unlawful, strikes it down

As most of the Silicon Valley giants are carrying out a massive exodus of employees, NVIDIA is on a hiring boom with huge paychecks. The majority of them are immigrant workers. According to the Federal Labour filings, NVIDIA has secured approximately 1,200 visa certifications during the first two quarters of the fiscal year 2026. This represents a 20 per cent increase from roughly 1000 applications approved during the same time frame the previous year. While this marks an increase in the H1B hiring for NVIDIA, it remains a long way off from other Silicon Valley companies like Alphabet and Amazon, which have 2,200 and 4,300 certifications in the H1FY26, down from 5,100 and 6100 in the same period the previous year, respectively.<h2>How much are Indians benefiting from the NVIDIA hiring boom?</h2>Indian technology professionals are the primary beneficiaries of the NVIDIA hiring boom both in the United States and within India's domestic tech hubs. Indian nationals historically secured 71-73 per cent of all H-1B visas in the US, so NVIDIA's rapid expansion of H1B hiring will likely disproportionately benefit Indian talent. According to the Federal Filings, NVIDIA is offering lucrative packages in basic salaries, excluding stock grants and bonuses, which can significantly increase overall compensation. An individual contributor can earn from a range of $356,500- $391,000 per annum, for roles like software engineer, research scientist, product manager, and hardware engineering manager. While Director-level roles are more lucrative, like architecture directors can earn up to $488,750, in base salary alone. However, the whole H1B segment has seen a structural overhaul, and the $100,000 "entry restriction" fee has made the immigration process move from a random lottery to a high-wage, high-skill selection model. This has helped Silicon Valley giants like NVIDIA, Alphabet and Amazon while pushing others like TCS, Infosys and Wipro out of the market.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-one-nation-under-god-christian-nationalism-debate-1779189316728">‘Make America Christian’: How Trump’s Christian nationalist messaging challenges America’s civic identity</a><h2>What is driving this hiring boom at NVIDIA?</h2>NVIDIA, which has been the leading beneficiary of the AI boon, posted its Q1 Fiscal Year 2027 financial results on May 20, 2026. It has recorded a massive year-over-year revenue growth of 85 per cent. It jumped to $81.62 billion from the $44.06 billion it reported in the same quarter last year. The data centre segment has recorded $75.2 billion in a single quarter. This is more than most Fortune 500 companies. NVIDIA is not just a supplier of the current AI wave; it is building the dedicated AI infrastructure for the AI wave.&nbsp;

NVIDIA is ramping up H-1B hiring and offering lucrative salaries as its AI-driven growth accelerates. Indian tech professionals are among the biggest beneficiaries of the recruitment surge.

As most of the Silicon Valley giants are carrying out a massive exodus of employees, NVIDIA is on a hiring boom with huge paychecks. The majority of them are immigrant workers. According to the Federal Labour filings, NVIDIA has secured approximately 1,200 visa certifications during the first two quarters of the fiscal year 2026. This represents a 20 per cent increase from roughly 1000 applications approved during the same time frame the previous year. While this marks an increase in the H1B hiring for NVIDIA, it remains a long way off from other Silicon Valley companies like Alphabet and Amazon, which have 2,200 and 4,300 certifications in the H1FY26, down from 5,100 and 6100 in the same period the previous year, respectively. How much are Indians benefiting from the NVIDIA hiring boom? Indian technology professionals are the primary beneficiaries of the NVIDIA hiring boom both in the United States and within India's domestic tech hubs. Indian nationals historically secured 71-73 per cent of all H-1B visas in the US, so NVIDIA's rapid expansion of H1B hiring will likely disproportionately benefit Indian talent. According to the Federal Filings, NVIDIA is offering lucrative packages in basic salaries, excluding stock grants and bonuses, which can significantly increase overall compensation. An individual contributor can earn from a range of $356,500- $391,000 per annum, for roles like software engineer, research scientist, product manager, and hardware engineering manager. While Director-level roles are more lucrative, like architecture directors can earn up to $488,750, in base salary alone. However, the whole H1B segment has seen a structural overhaul, and the $100,000 "entry restriction" fee has made the immigration process move from a random lottery to a high-wage, high-skill selection model. This has helped Silicon Valley giants like NVIDIA, Alphabet and Amazon while pushing others like TCS, Infosys and Wipro out of the market. Also Read: ‘Make America Christian’: How Trump’s Christian nationalist messaging challenges America’s civic identity What is driving this hiring boom at NVIDIA? NVIDIA, which has been the leading beneficiary of the AI boon, posted its Q1 Fiscal Year 2027 financial results on May 20, 2026. It has recorded a massive year-over-year revenue growth of 85 per cent. It jumped to $81.62 billion from the $44.06 billion it reported in the same quarter last year. The data centre segment has recorded $75.2 billion in a single quarter. This is more than most Fortune 500 companies. NVIDIA is not just a supplier of the current AI wave; it is building the dedicated AI infrastructure for the AI wave.

NVIDIA is ramping up H-1B hiring and offering lucrative salaries as its AI-driven growth accelerates. Indian tech professionals are among the biggest beneficiaries of the recruitment surge.

NVIDIA expands H-1B hiring while other Silicon Valley giants cut back

US President Donald Trump on Friday (Sep 19) signed a proclamation hiking the annual fee for H-1B visas to $100,000, a move that could deal a major blow to Indian tech workers and the firms that hire them. For Indians, this massive visa fee hike translates to a whopping ₹90 lakh. Through the H-1B program, American companies bring in highly skilled foreign workers, most of them from countries like India. However, now, for every visa application, employers will have to cough up $100,000 a year on top of existing filing fees and salaries. Singing the order in the Oval Office, Trump announced, "They (US-based companies) need workers, we need great workers. This proclamation ensures that America will now get good workers."Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-slaps-100-000-fee-on-h-1b-visas-indian-tech-workers-to-be-hit-hardest-1758334806893">Trump slaps $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, Indian tech workers to be hit hardest</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> signs a Proclamation to restrict the entry of certain H-1B aliens into the U.S. as nonimmigrant workers, requiring a $100,000 payment to accompany or supplement H-1B petitions for new applications. AMERICA FIRST! <a href="https://t.co/AzAUJzXawV">pic.twitter.com/AzAUJzXawV</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1969155493701571049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>How many Indians will be affected?</h2>According to Pew Research, India remains the top beneficiary of the H-1B visa programme. In 2023, Indians accounted for roughly three-quarters (around 73 per cent) of the total H-1B visa applicants. This translates to hundreds of thousands of Indians every year. The impact of Trump's proclamation hiking the annual fee for H-1B visas was immediate on markets. Shares of Cognizant dropped nearly 5 per cent, while US-listed Indian IT majors Infosys and Wipro fell between 2 per cent and 5 per cent. Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta, which collectively secured tens of thousands of H-1B approvals this year, are also likely to face higher costs.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-boasts-us-forces-blasted-another-boat-with-drug-traffickers-en-route-to-poison-americans-three-narcoterrorists-killed-watch-1758329745438">Trump says US blasted 3rd boat with drugs ‘en route to poison Americans’. Watch</a><h2>Trump's immigration crackdown</h2>The fee hike comes on top of a growing list of visa hurdles, from stricter background checks to new rules forcing applicants to face screening for "anti-Americanism." In August 2025, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that immigration officers have now been instructed to weigh whether a green card applicant has "endorsed, promoted, supported, or otherwise espoused" anti-American, terrorist, or antisemitic views.Additionally, starting October 2025, citizenship applicants will also face a tougher civics test. Under this, applicants will have to answer at least 12 out of 20 oral questions correctly from a pool of 128 questions.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump signed a new proclamation that dramatically raises the annual fee for H-1B visas to a whopping $100,000 or ₹90 lakh. The move may make the Indian techies' US dream nearly impossible. Here's All You Need To Know.

US President Donald Trump on Friday (Sep 19) signed a proclamation hiking the annual fee for H-1B visas to $100,000, a move that could deal a major blow to Indian tech workers and the firms that hire them. For Indians, this massive visa fee hike translates to a whopping ₹90 lakh. Through the H-1B program, American companies bring in highly skilled foreign workers, most of them from countries like India. However, now, for every visa application, employers will have to cough up $100,000 a year on top of existing filing fees and salaries. Singing the order in the Oval Office, Trump announced, "They (US-based companies) need workers, we need great workers. This proclamation ensures that America will now get good workers." Also read | Trump slaps $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, Indian tech workers to be hit hardest

President Donald Trump signed a new proclamation that dramatically raises the annual fee for H-1B visas to a whopping $100,000 or ₹90 lakh. The move may make the Indian techies' US dream nearly impossible. Here's All You Need To Know.

Trump just made it nearly impossible for Indians to work in the US — Here's how

US President Donald Trump on Friday (Sep 19) signed a proclamation hiking the annual fee for H-1B visas to $100,000. The H-1B program allows American companies to bring in highly skilled foreign workers, many of them from countries like India. Now, every visa application will cost employers $100,000 a year on top of existing filing fees and salaries. "They (US-based companies) need workers, we need great workers. This proclamation ensures that America will now get good workers," said Trump as he signed the proclamation in the Oval Office on Friday.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/-elect-a-rapist-expect-to-get-fu-ed-britons-troll-trump-as-windsor-castle-lights-up-with-epstein-images-1758075915188">'Elect a rapist, expect to get fu**ed': Britons troll 'dick-tator' Trump, light up Windsor Castle with Epstein images</a><h2>Companies on board with the $100,000 visa fee?</h2>US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed that "all the big companies are on board" with the plan and insisted that this would mean more jobs for Americans. "They have to pay the government $100,000, then they have to pay the employee. So it's just not economic. If you're going to train somebody, you're going to train one of the recent graduates from one of the great universities across our land, train Americans, stop bringing in people to take our jobs," he added.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-boasts-us-forces-blasted-another-boat-with-drug-traffickers-en-route-to-poison-americans-three-narcoterrorists-killed-watch-1758329745438">Trump says US blasted 3rd boat with drugs ‘en route to poison Americans’. Watch</a>Calling the 'H1-B non-immigrant visa programme' the "most abused visa system,' Trump's Trump'sWhite House Staff Secretary Will Scharf said that the step would allow only "highly skilled labourers who work in fields that Americans don't work in to come into the United States of America"."This will ensure that the people they're bringing in are actually very highly skilled and that they're not replaceable by American workers," he said.Since taking office in January, Trump has implemented several measures to crack down on immigration. However, the decision to raise the H-1B visa fee is one of his most notable efforts that significantly revamps the temporary employment visa system.

US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation that imposes a new annual fee of $100,000 on H-1B visa applications. Here's all you need to know.

US President Donald Trump on Friday (Sep 19) signed a proclamation hiking the annual fee for H-1B visas to $100,000. The H-1B program allows American companies to bring in highly skilled foreign workers, many of them from countries like India. Now, every visa application will cost employers $100,000 a year on top of existing filing fees and salaries. "They (US-based companies) need workers, we need great workers. This proclamation ensures that America will now get good workers," said Trump as he signed the proclamation in the Oval Office on Friday. Also read | 'Elect a rapist, expect to get fu**ed': Britons troll 'dick-tator' Trump, light up Windsor Castle with Epstein images Companies on board with the $100,000 visa fee? US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed that "all the big companies are on board" with the plan and insisted that this would mean more jobs for Americans. "They have to pay the government $100,000, then they have to pay the employee. So it's just not economic. If you're going to train somebody, you're going to train one of the recent graduates from one of the great universities across our land, train Americans, stop bringing in people to take our jobs," he added. Also read | Trump says US blasted 3rd boat with drugs ‘en route to poison Americans’. Watch Calling the 'H1-B non-immigrant visa programme' the "most abused visa system,' Trump's Trump'sWhite House Staff Secretary Will Scharf said that the step would allow only "highly skilled labourers who work in fields that Americans don't work in to come into the United States of America". "This will ensure that the people they're bringing in are actually very highly skilled and that they're not replaceable by American workers," he said. Since taking office in January, Trump has implemented several measures to crack down on immigration. However, the decision to raise the H-1B visa fee is one of his most notable efforts that significantly revamps the temporary employment visa system.

US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation that imposes a new annual fee of $100,000 on H-1B visa applications. Here's all you need to know.

Trump slaps $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, Indian tech workers to be hit hardest

Just ahead of the US elections on November 3, the Trump administration announced new restrictions on H-1B non-immigrant visa programme aimed at protecting American workers.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-cuts-off-stimulus-relief-talks-until-after-election-upending-prospects-for-aid-333055">Also Read:&nbsp;Trump cuts off stimulus relief talks until after election, upending prospects for aid</a>

The White House said that Trump is committed to making sure&nbsp;American workers are not disadvantaged by foreign labour.

"President Trump knows that H-1B visas should only be reserved for specialised talent that helps support a strong economy. For too long, this programme has been misused as an inexpensive labour programme, replacing American jobs in the process," it said.

President Trump had earlier signed an executive order to prevent federal money from being used to displace US citizens with foreign workers.

"These critical reforms will improve the quality of the H-1B programme without changing the annual statutory cap for H-1B visas. The Trump administration is closing loopholes that have allowed employers in the United States to replace American workers with low-cost foreign labour," the White House asserted.

The H-1B visa allows US companies to employ foreign workers with specialised technical expertise with several thousand empoloyed by US companies from India.

The White House said it is also "taking action to rein in "shadow" third-party employers who use the H-1B programme to displace American workers and to reduce the validity period for H-1Bs used by these "shadow" employers, which will ensure more frequent vetting for compliance with H-1B programme requirements."

"The Department of Homeland Security is codifying the existing authorities to conduct workforce inspections and clarifying that failure to fully cooperate with inspections may result in the denial or revocation of employer H-1B petitions," it added.

"To aid our nation's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, the President placed a temporary pause on multiple categories of aliens from coming into the country for work. The Trump administration issued regulations that will, once in effect, remove the incentive to apply for asylum for the purpose of obtaining authorisation to work in the United States," the White House stated.

Just ahead of the US elections on November 3, the Trump administration announced new restrictions on H-1B non-immigrant visa programme aimed at protecting American workers.

Just ahead of the US elections on November 3, the Trump administration announced new restrictions on H-1B non-immigrant visa programme aimed at protecting American workers. Also Read: Trump cuts off stimulus relief talks until after election, upending prospects for aid The White House said that Trump is committed to making sure American workers are not disadvantaged by foreign labour. "President Trump knows that H-1B visas should only be reserved for specialised talent that helps support a strong economy. For too long, this programme has been misused as an inexpensive labour programme, replacing American jobs in the process," it said. President Trump had earlier signed an executive order to prevent federal money from being used to displace US citizens with foreign workers. "These critical reforms will improve the quality of the H-1B programme without changing the annual statutory cap for H-1B visas. The Trump administration is closing loopholes that have allowed employers in the United States to replace American workers with low-cost foreign labour," the White House asserted. The H-1B visa allows US companies to employ foreign workers with specialised technical expertise with several thousand empoloyed by US companies from India. The White House said it is also "taking action to rein in "shadow" third-party employers who use the H-1B programme to displace American workers and to reduce the validity period for H-1Bs used by these "shadow" employers, which will ensure more frequent vetting for compliance with H-1B programme requirements." "The Department of Homeland Security is codifying the existing authorities to conduct workforce inspections and clarifying that failure to fully cooperate with inspections may result in the denial or revocation of employer H-1B petitions," it added. "To aid our nation's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, the President placed a temporary pause on multiple categories of aliens from coming into the country for work. The Trump administration issued regulations that will, once in effect, remove the incentive to apply for asylum for the purpose of obtaining authorisation to work in the United States," the White House stated.

Ahead of elections, US imposes new restrictions on H-1B visas

Some weeks ago, it was dismaying to hear the story of a young man from South India, who experienced first hand the sorrow that “Buy American Hire American” is causing in Trump’s not so united - United States of America.&nbsp;

After finishing his engineering in this country, he secured admission to a well-known business school in Texas, finished his MBA and got a job in a good oil company. His H-1B visa came through, his job was secure and he came back to India to get married and returned to the US to pursue the great American dream.&nbsp;

And then his luck turned. He got a query from the authorities that his qualification was not unique enough for him to be hired over a local American and in spite of supporting documents from his employers, his visa was overturned and he was asked to return to India.

This happened a year ago and in the ensuing 12 months, the visa situation has turned gloomier with every passing month. Readers would recall that in November the Trump Administration announced an amendment to the Labor Condition Application (LCA) that requires prospective employers of people entering the US on H-1B visas to disclose all intended places of employment, including any proposed short-term assignments and a large amount of information on the company status.

These comprised identification of secondary entities and locations and the number of H-1B visa workers currently employed in the firm and at third-party work sites of the firm.&nbsp;

There has also been an introduction of legislation by two US lawmakers that seeks to revoke the work authorisation given by the Obama Administration to spouses of H-1B visa holders, making it difficult for career-minded spouses to stay in the US, causing rifts in families seeking to settle in the US.

Amidst these dark clouds over the prospects of tens of thousands of Indian tech aspirants, a sudden ray of hope has come through in the form of a surprising proposal of a merit-based method of awarding visas in future.&nbsp;

Companies are required to register their manpower demand petitions in advance and while the numerical limit of H1-Bs in a year would continue to be capped at 65,000, the first 20,000 petitions filed on behalf of applicants with a US Masters’ degree or higher qualification would be considered after that and exempt from the cap.

The significant benefit of the proposed changes by the Department of Homeland Security are that the selection order would count all normal petitions as needed till the cap is reached and then separately consider registrations or petitions for the advanced degree exemption.&nbsp;

The implication of this is that while advanced degree holders will have a very high chance of qualifying, it would not limit the selection of people under the normal petition scheme.&nbsp;

This may result in an overall increase of persons admitted with advanced degrees and also reduce overall costs for petitioners and improve process efficiency for the immigration agencies, all excellent developments for the growing IT companies and the industry as a whole.

What do all these policy flip-flops and frequent announcements on the visa process imply for the prospects of four million people who are already work in the Indian tech sector and the ten million and more youngsters in engineering and other degree programmes around the country, who have shunned manufacturing and other services jobs in the past couple of decades in favour of the granite and glass, air-conditioned environments and global opportunities available in the IT and IT-enabled services industry.&nbsp;

One is sorry to sound cautious and maybe even alarmist but neither the US nor Europe is ever going to provide an easy passage to mediocre candidates who want to run away from the intensely competitive environment that prevails in academics and jobs in our country and seek easier job options in greener pastures.&nbsp;

The new visa regime will certainly make it easier for exceptional candidates who study in America’s best graduate schools to work and stay there. We have seen in our own family that kids going through Stanford, Yale and Harvard have been welcomed with open arms through the visa, green card and citizenship process in the US.&nbsp;

But for every dozen of these bright sparks, there are hundreds who spend hard earned family money on average engineering colleges in India and mediocre tech and business programmes in the US only to meet closed visa doors at the end.&nbsp;

These are the folks who need to think twice before they throw large rupee chunks towards the chase for dollars.

A word of advice after this note of caution. For many young folks who have not been able to make it to the best institutions in India for their graduate degree, if the money is there it may be best to do a short course in the US and use that as a stepping stone to get into an excellent institution for formal graduate school qualifications.&nbsp;

And that is only if the American dream is still irresistible! Many of us who have built successful careers in India and still travelled all over the world, may inspire you to just work in India and succeed as well! Choose wisely and be happy.

 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-good-news-for-indian-techies-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel-2707574">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Some weeks ago, it was dismaying to hear the story of a young man from South India, who experienced first hand the sorrow that “Buy American Hire American” is causing in Trump’s not so united - United States of America.

Some weeks ago, it was dismaying to hear the story of a young man from South India, who experienced first hand the sorrow that “Buy American Hire American” is causing in Trump’s not so united - United States of America. After finishing his engineering in this country, he secured admission to a well-known business school in Texas, finished his MBA and got a job in a good oil company. His H-1B visa came through, his job was secure and he came back to India to get married and returned to the US to pursue the great American dream. And then his luck turned. He got a query from the authorities that his qualification was not unique enough for him to be hired over a local American and in spite of supporting documents from his employers, his visa was overturned and he was asked to return to India. This happened a year ago and in the ensuing 12 months, the visa situation has turned gloomier with every passing month. Readers would recall that in November the Trump Administration announced an amendment to the Labor Condition Application (LCA) that requires prospective employers of people entering the US on H-1B visas to disclose all intended places of employment, including any proposed short-term assignments and a large amount of information on the company status. These comprised identification of secondary entities and locations and the number of H-1B visa workers currently employed in the firm and at third-party work sites of the firm. There has also been an introduction of legislation by two US lawmakers that seeks to revoke the work authorisation given by the Obama Administration to spouses of H-1B visa holders, making it difficult for career-minded spouses to stay in the US, causing rifts in families seeking to settle in the US. Amidst these dark clouds over the prospects of tens of thousands of Indian tech aspirants, a sudden ray of hope has come through in the form of a surprising proposal of a merit-based method of awarding visas in future. Companies are required to register their manpower demand petitions in advance and while the numerical limit of H1-Bs in a year would continue to be capped at 65,000, the first 20,000 petitions filed on behalf of applicants with a US Masters’ degree or higher qualification would be considered after that and exempt from the cap. The significant benefit of the proposed changes by the Department of Homeland Security are that the selection order would count all normal petitions as needed till the cap is reached and then separately consider registrations or petitions for the advanced degree exemption. The implication of this is that while advanced degree holders will have a very high chance of qualifying, it would not limit the selection of people under the normal petition scheme. This may result in an overall increase of persons admitted with advanced degrees and also reduce overall costs for petitioners and improve process efficiency for the immigration agencies, all excellent developments for the growing IT companies and the industry as a whole. What do all these policy flip-flops and frequent announcements on the visa process imply for the prospects of four million people who are already work in the Indian tech sector and the ten million and more youngsters in engineering and other degree programmes around the country, who have shunned manufacturing and other services jobs in the past couple of decades in favour of the granite and glass, air-conditioned environments and global opportunities available in the IT and IT-enabled services industry. One is sorry to sound cautious and maybe even alarmist but neither the US nor Europe is ever going to provide an easy passage to mediocre candidates who want to run away from the intensely competitive environment that prevails in academics and jobs in our country and seek easier job options in greener pastures. The new visa regime will certainly make it easier for exceptional candidates who study in America’s best graduate schools to work and stay there. We have seen in our own family that kids going through Stanford, Yale and Harvard have been welcomed with open arms through the visa, green card and citizenship process in the US. But for every dozen of these bright sparks, there are hundreds who spend hard earned family money on average engineering colleges in India and mediocre tech and business programmes in the US only to meet closed visa doors at the end. These are the folks who need to think twice before they throw large rupee chunks towards the chase for dollars. A word of advice after this note of caution. For many young folks who have not been able to make it to the best institutions in India for their graduate degree, if the money is there it may be best to do a short course in the US and use that as a stepping stone to get into an excellent institution for formal graduate school qualifications. And that is only if the American dream is still irresistible! Many of us who have built successful careers in India and still travelled all over the world, may inspire you to just work in India and succeed as well! Choose wisely and be happy. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Good news for Indian techies: Light at the end of the tunnel

The much vaunted “flat world” of Tom Friedman is under threat in many parts of the globe and nowhere more than in the original capital of the free world, the United States of America. With non-tariff trade and immigration barriers being erected all over the world and President Trump making aggressive moves to fulfil his “Make in America” and “Bring jobs back to America” promises, the scenario seems to be fairly bleak for India’s many hopeful US residents.

The most recent salvo fired by the Trump Administration in the US is the amendment to the Labor Condition Application (LCA) that has come into force from November 19, 2018. This requires prospective employers of people entering the US on H-1B visas to disclose all intended places of employment including any proposed short-term assignments and a large amount of information on the company status including identification of secondary entities and locations and the number of H-1B visa workers currently employed in the firm and at third-party works sites of the firm. While one could argue that this is only a demand for more disclosures, the increased paperwork required will become a further deterrent for companies already concerned at the substantial delays and high rejection rates in visa applications to work in the US.

Another deterrent for middle and senior-level professionals seeking to work and build careers in the US is the introduction of legislation by two US lawmakers that seeks to revoke the work authorisation given by the Obama Administration to spouses of H-1B visa holders. The permission given to H-4 dependent visa holders to work while their spouses were employed in the US had made it feasible for career-minded spouses to seek gainful employment. This group of over a hundred thousand people, largely women, &nbsp;would be seriously challenged if this revocation actually happens.

A positive development in this regard has been the letter sent by 130 senior lawmakers to the Secretary of US Homeland Security asking that the decision of the previous administration should not be rescinded. The subsequent assurance provided by a US Citizenship and Immigration spokesman that the rule-making process is still incomplete and a new economic analysis would be a determinant in the final decision should give a boost to the tens of thousands of bright and highly employable people who would be potentially adversely affected by this reversal.&nbsp;

Even if the Administration were to ignore the adverse impact on families, on purely economic grounds, the arguments in favour of letting these talented people work in the US are many. Most of the spouses in the US are extremely well qualified and more than capable of getting and outperforming in highly skilled vocations. Nipping their promising careers in the bud could well deny American employers the opportunity to add substantial productivity to their work force. And it is almost inevitable that in a world where two jobs in a family are useful in building a better lifestyle and opportunities for children, this could sow the seeds of marital discord and even result in some spouses deserting the H-1B holder and returning to their country of origin to seek gainful employment and an identity for themselves.

For the Indian tech sector, the increased tightening of opportunities to send manpower to the US to staff critical positions has led to three tactical steps – local hiring, subcontracting and a mitigation in the efforts to sell an American dream. Local hiring started on a significant scale a few years ago and rightly so since it is only appropriate that jobs in a country where the business originates are offered to citizens and residents of that country where possible, rather than getting temporary staff from India or elsewhere. Today, local hiring has moved from anecdotal levels to tens of thousands with centres of Indian companies springing up in many parts of the US. Sub-contracting to local and Latin American firms have also commenced and professionals are also being recruited from Mexico and Canada through the TN visa category, which has the potential for indefinite renewal and are easy to procure and process.&nbsp;

Hundreds of thousands of young Indians, who for decades had seen the American dream, have realised them through the vista of opportunities that the H-1B visa and subsequently the H-4 visa gave to them and their families. In families around the country, fortunes have been re-written by children in the US and they have also added greatly to the success of companies in the US, initially in the tech sector and today in all sections of the economy. Will any administration not see the immense value offered by the Indian diaspora in the US and thwart its continuing contribution and success? President Trump, we are glad you choose to celebrate Diwali in the White House but now the time has come to make the great land of America truly inclusive and “keep America great” by being the beacon of opportunity for the whole world that it has always been!

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-us-visas-a-call-to-action-2689284">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The much vaunted “flat world” of Tom Friedman is under threat in many parts of the globe and nowhere more than in the original capital of the free world, the United States of America.

The much vaunted “flat world” of Tom Friedman is under threat in many parts of the globe and nowhere more than in the original capital of the free world, the United States of America. With non-tariff trade and immigration barriers being erected all over the world and President Trump making aggressive moves to fulfil his “Make in America” and “Bring jobs back to America” promises, the scenario seems to be fairly bleak for India’s many hopeful US residents. The most recent salvo fired by the Trump Administration in the US is the amendment to the Labor Condition Application (LCA) that has come into force from November 19, 2018. This requires prospective employers of people entering the US on H-1B visas to disclose all intended places of employment including any proposed short-term assignments and a large amount of information on the company status including identification of secondary entities and locations and the number of H-1B visa workers currently employed in the firm and at third-party works sites of the firm. While one could argue that this is only a demand for more disclosures, the increased paperwork required will become a further deterrent for companies already concerned at the substantial delays and high rejection rates in visa applications to work in the US. Another deterrent for middle and senior-level professionals seeking to work and build careers in the US is the introduction of legislation by two US lawmakers that seeks to revoke the work authorisation given by the Obama Administration to spouses of H-1B visa holders. The permission given to H-4 dependent visa holders to work while their spouses were employed in the US had made it feasible for career-minded spouses to seek gainful employment. This group of over a hundred thousand people, largely women, would be seriously challenged if this revocation actually happens. A positive development in this regard has been the letter sent by 130 senior lawmakers to the Secretary of US Homeland Security asking that the decision of the previous administration should not be rescinded. The subsequent assurance provided by a US Citizenship and Immigration spokesman that the rule-making process is still incomplete and a new economic analysis would be a determinant in the final decision should give a boost to the tens of thousands of bright and highly employable people who would be potentially adversely affected by this reversal. Even if the Administration were to ignore the adverse impact on families, on purely economic grounds, the arguments in favour of letting these talented people work in the US are many. Most of the spouses in the US are extremely well qualified and more than capable of getting and outperforming in highly skilled vocations. Nipping their promising careers in the bud could well deny American employers the opportunity to add substantial productivity to their work force. And it is almost inevitable that in a world where two jobs in a family are useful in building a better lifestyle and opportunities for children, this could sow the seeds of marital discord and even result in some spouses deserting the H-1B holder and returning to their country of origin to seek gainful employment and an identity for themselves. For the Indian tech sector, the increased tightening of opportunities to send manpower to the US to staff critical positions has led to three tactical steps – local hiring, subcontracting and a mitigation in the efforts to sell an American dream. Local hiring started on a significant scale a few years ago and rightly so since it is only appropriate that jobs in a country where the business originates are offered to citizens and residents of that country where possible, rather than getting temporary staff from India or elsewhere. Today, local hiring has moved from anecdotal levels to tens of thousands with centres of Indian companies springing up in many parts of the US. Sub-contracting to local and Latin American firms have also commenced and professionals are also being recruited from Mexico and Canada through the TN visa category, which has the potential for indefinite renewal and are easy to procure and process. Hundreds of thousands of young Indians, who for decades had seen the American dream, have realised them through the vista of opportunities that the H-1B visa and subsequently the H-4 visa gave to them and their families. In families around the country, fortunes have been re-written by children in the US and they have also added greatly to the success of companies in the US, initially in the tech sector and today in all sections of the economy. Will any administration not see the immense value offered by the Indian diaspora in the US and thwart its continuing contribution and success? President Trump, we are glad you choose to celebrate Diwali in the White House but now the time has come to make the great land of America truly inclusive and “keep America great” by being the beacon of opportunity for the whole world that it has always been! (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

US visas – a call to action

Petitions for H1-B visas, popular among Indian IT professionals, will be accepted from April 2, a federal agency announced today. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) also announced the suspension of premium processing of all H-1B petitions which are subject to the annual caps.

The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China The H-1B petition filing is for the fiscal year 2019 beginning October 1, 2018.

The suspension of premium processing of all H-1B petitions which are subject to the annual caps is expected to last until September 10, 2018. During this time, the USCIS said it will continue to accept premium processing requests for H-1B petitions that are not subject to the fiscal 2019 cap.

&ldquo;We will notify the public before resuming premium processing for cap-subject H-1B petitions or making any other premium processing updates,&rdquo; it said. At the same time, the USCIS said while premium processing is suspended, a petitioner may submit a request to expedite an FY 2019 cap-subject H-1B petition if it meets the expedited criteria.

The USCIS said that the temporary suspension of premium processing will help it reduce overall H-1B processing time. By temporarily suspending premium processing, the USCIS said it will be able to process long-pending petitions, which it has currently been unable to process due to the high volume of incoming petitions and the significant surge in premium processing requests over the past few years; and prioritise adjudication of H-1B extension of status cases that are nearing the 240-day mark.

As an H-1B non-immigrant, the applicant may be admitted for a period of up to three years. The time period may be extended, but generally cannot go beyond a total of six years. However, there are some exceptions to it. The H1-B visa has an annual numerical limit cap of 65,000 visas each fiscal year as mandated by the Congress. The first 20,000 petitions filed on behalf of beneficiaries with a US master&rsquo;s degree or higher are exempt from the cap.

Additionally, H1-B workers who are petitioned for or employed at an institution of higher education or its affiliated or related nonprofit entities or a nonprofit research organisation or a government research organisation are not subject to this numerical cap.

According to the USCIS, between 2007 and 2017, it received the maximum number of 2.2 million H-1B petitions from high-skilled Indians. India was followed by China with 301,000 H-1B petitions during the same period.

The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise

Petitions for H1-B visas, popular among Indian IT professionals, will be accepted from April 2, a federal agency announced today. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) also announced the suspension of premium processing of all H-1B petitions which are subject to the annual caps. The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China The H-1B petition filing is for the fiscal year 2019 beginning October 1, 2018. The suspension of premium processing of all H-1B petitions which are subject to the annual caps is expected to last until September 10, 2018. During this time, the USCIS said it will continue to accept premium processing requests for H-1B petitions that are not subject to the fiscal 2019 cap. “We will notify the public before resuming premium processing for cap-subject H-1B petitions or making any other premium processing updates,” it said. At the same time, the USCIS said while premium processing is suspended, a petitioner may submit a request to expedite an FY 2019 cap-subject H-1B petition if it meets the expedited criteria. The USCIS said that the temporary suspension of premium processing will help it reduce overall H-1B processing time. By temporarily suspending premium processing, the USCIS said it will be able to process long-pending petitions, which it has currently been unable to process due to the high volume of incoming petitions and the significant surge in premium processing requests over the past few years; and prioritise adjudication of H-1B extension of status cases that are nearing the 240-day mark. As an H-1B non-immigrant, the applicant may be admitted for a period of up to three years. The time period may be extended, but generally cannot go beyond a total of six years. However, there are some exceptions to it. The H1-B visa has an annual numerical limit cap of 65,000 visas each fiscal year as mandated by the Congress. The first 20,000 petitions filed on behalf of beneficiaries with a US master’s degree or higher are exempt from the cap. Additionally, H1-B workers who are petitioned for or employed at an institution of higher education or its affiliated or related nonprofit entities or a nonprofit research organisation or a government research organisation are not subject to this numerical cap. According to the USCIS, between 2007 and 2017, it received the maximum number of 2.2 million H-1B petitions from high-skilled Indians. India was followed by China with 301,000 H-1B petitions during the same period.

H-1B applications to begin on April 2, fast processing halted

Any &quot;serious actions&quot; taken by the Trump Administration on the H-1B visa programme would be a cause of &quot;worry&quot; as a majority of Indian exports in the services sector go to the US, Chief Economic Adviser to the Indian government Arvind Subramanian has said.

&quot;If there are serious actions taken it&#39;s something that&#39;s going to kind of worry us a lot because, remember that our exports of services are about 40 to 45 per cent of the total exports,? Subramanian told an audience here last week.

&quot;Something like 50 to 60 per cent of all our exports of services goes to the United States. So it would worry us quite a bit,? he said while responding to a question on the H1-B visa during his visit at the Peterson Institute, a top American economic think-tank.

Subramanian said that India would be &quot;okay&quot; as long as the visa reforms are manageable and it&#39;s keeping a close watch on it.

&quot;Anything that is going to interfere with export growth creates anxiety (in India). In the context of the United States, we&#39;re all watching very carefully the H1-B visa situation,? the Chief Economic Adviser said.

&quot;On the visa side, I don&#39;t know but as long as you know we can keep this thing manageable. You know it should be okay,? he said.

During his US visit, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had also taken up the the H-1B issue with the American side and highlighted the contribution Indian companies and professionals are making to the US economy.

President Donald Trump had earlier this month signed an executive order for tightening the rules of the H-1B visa programme to stop its &quot;abuse&quot; and ensure that the visas are given to the &quot;most-skilled or highest paid&quot; petitioners, a decision that would impact India&#39;s USD 150 billion IT industry.

The Indian IT industry expressed serious concerns over this as these visas were mainly used by domestic IT professionals for short-term work in America.

The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. Indian technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year for their US operations.

The US market accounts for about 60 per cent of the revenue of the Indian IT industry.

Reforming the H-1B visa system was one of the major election promises of Trump. As per several US reports, a majority of the H-1B visas every year are grabbed by Indian IT professionals.

India accounts for the highest pool of qualified IT professionals, whose services go a long way in making American companies globally competitive.&nbsp;

(PTI)

Arvind Subramanian said India will be 'okay' as long as the reforms are manageable

Any "serious actions" taken by the Trump Administration on the H-1B visa programme would be a cause of "worry" as a majority of Indian exports in the services sector go to the US, Chief Economic Adviser to the Indian government Arvind Subramanian has said. "If there are serious actions taken it's something that's going to kind of worry us a lot because, remember that our exports of services are about 40 to 45 per cent of the total exports,? Subramanian told an audience here last week. "Something like 50 to 60 per cent of all our exports of services goes to the United States. So it would worry us quite a bit,? he said while responding to a question on the H1-B visa during his visit at the Peterson Institute, a top American economic think-tank. Subramanian said that India would be "okay" as long as the visa reforms are manageable and it's keeping a close watch on it. "Anything that is going to interfere with export growth creates anxiety (in India). In the context of the United States, we're all watching very carefully the H1-B visa situation,? the Chief Economic Adviser said. "On the visa side, I don't know but as long as you know we can keep this thing manageable. You know it should be okay,? he said. During his US visit, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had also taken up the the H-1B issue with the American side and highlighted the contribution Indian companies and professionals are making to the US economy. President Donald Trump had earlier this month signed an executive order for tightening the rules of the H-1B visa programme to stop its "abuse" and ensure that the visas are given to the "most-skilled or highest paid" petitioners, a decision that would impact India's USD 150 billion IT industry. The Indian IT industry expressed serious concerns over this as these visas were mainly used by domestic IT professionals for short-term work in America. The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. Indian technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year for their US operations. The US market accounts for about 60 per cent of the revenue of the Indian IT industry. Reforming the H-1B visa system was one of the major election promises of Trump. As per several US reports, a majority of the H-1B visas every year are grabbed by Indian IT professionals. India accounts for the highest pool of qualified IT professionals, whose services go a long way in making American companies globally competitive. (PTI)

Major action on H1-B visa cause for worry, will impact exports: Chief Economic Adviser

International students pursuing post graduate degrees in the sciences and engineering are expressing grave concerns after President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday&nbsp;seeking a review of the US&nbsp;visa program for bringing high-skilled foreign workers into the country, putting technology firms and the outsourcing companies that serve them on notice that possible changes may be ahead.

At California State University - Long Beach, 20 miles south of Los Angeles, there are approximately 2700 international students from about 100 countries, many looking to work in the high-tech industry upon graduation.

Mayank Kasturia, a student from New Delhi, India who is expected to graduate with a degree in computer science in May said, &quot;One of the companies I talked to say, are you looking for any sponsorship and the moment I said yes, they said we are not providing any sponsorship. So please do try some other company which will provide you with sponsorship&quot;.

Kasturia, who also holds a part time job as an engineer with the campus radio station, is heartbroken that his American dream may soon end.

&quot;It&#39;s hard. Your heart like can&#39;t believe, like not ready to believe this is going to happen. This is happening with me. So it is hard to believe and everyone is following their dream and if there is something interrupting that dream that&#39;s hard for everyone,&quot; says Kasturia.

Traditionally, an international student with an advanced degree in science or engineering needs to get sponsorship and an H-1B visa from an American company in order to work and live in the US&nbsp;The executive order is aiming to change that. Following up his campaign promises, Trump wants the jobs to go to the US&nbsp;citizens or permanent residents.

(Reuters)

Following up his campaign promises, Trump wants the jobs to go to the US?citizens or permanent residents

International students pursuing post graduate degrees in the sciences and engineering are expressing grave concerns after President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday seeking a review of the US visa program for bringing high-skilled foreign workers into the country, putting technology firms and the outsourcing companies that serve them on notice that possible changes may be ahead. At California State University - Long Beach, 20 miles south of Los Angeles, there are approximately 2700 international students from about 100 countries, many looking to work in the high-tech industry upon graduation. Mayank Kasturia, a student from New Delhi, India who is expected to graduate with a degree in computer science in May said, "One of the companies I talked to say, are you looking for any sponsorship and the moment I said yes, they said we are not providing any sponsorship. So please do try some other company which will provide you with sponsorship". Kasturia, who also holds a part time job as an engineer with the campus radio station, is heartbroken that his American dream may soon end. "It's hard. Your heart like can't believe, like not ready to believe this is going to happen. This is happening with me. So it is hard to believe and everyone is following their dream and if there is something interrupting that dream that's hard for everyone," says Kasturia. Traditionally, an international student with an advanced degree in science or engineering needs to get sponsorship and an H-1B visa from an American company in order to work and live in the US The executive order is aiming to change that. Following up his campaign promises, Trump wants the jobs to go to the US citizens or permanent residents. (Reuters)

International students face uncertain future under Trump's reform of H1-B visa process

Indian software companies need to stop sending people on H1-B visas and focus on local hiring in the US, Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy said today amid rising concerns over Donald Trump administration&#39;s proposals to restrict inflow of foreign workers.

Stating that by and large Indian mindset is always to take the &quot;soft option&quot;, Murthy -- one of the pioneers of India&#39;s IT outsourcing industry -- said becoming multi-cultural is not easy and is a &quot;very, very hard option&quot;.

&quot;They (Indian software companies) must recruit American residents in the US, Canadians in Canada, British people in Britain etc. That&#39;s the only way, we can become a true multi-national company and in order to do that, we should stop using H1-B visas and sending a large number of Indians to those countries to deliver services,&quot; Murthy told NDTV.

He added that recruitment from colleges should be done and local people be trained to add value to Indian companies.

The proposed overhaul of popular H-1B visa regime by US President Donald Trump has raised concerns among the Indian IT firms.

Also, the recent introduction of a US bill (Lofgren Bill) that proposes doubling of the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders to USD 130,000 from USD 60,000 has made the industry worried.

Any changes in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the USD 110 billion Indian outsourcing industry.

&quot;I think even if the executive order comes, we should look at it more as opportunity for Indian companies to become more multi-cultural than we have been, rather than looking at it as a lacuna,&quot; Murthy said.

The US contributes nearly 62 per cent of the exports. Analysts are of the opinion that Indian tech companies could easily witness around 60-70 per cent rise in salaries of H-1B visa dependent workforce, leading to a 5-10 per cent hit on the margins, depending on the total base of employees currently on H1-B visas.

Asked why Indian companies were in panic over the protectionist stance of the new US administration, Murthy said Indian companies will have to learn to work with non-Indian professionals and become more multi-cultural.

&quot;I think by and large, the Indian mindset is always to take the soft option. Becoming multi-cultural is a very, very hard option, it&#39;s not easy. Our managers will have to learn with non-Indian professionals, how to get the best out of them, how to work in teams that are multi-cultural, how to make sure that we understand the rules of crossing cultures,&quot; he said.

Murthy added that this was the &quot;only way&quot; to remove the risk of government mandating things like the executive order.

(PTI) 
&nbsp;

Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy said recruiting foreign residents was the only way to become truly multi-national

Indian software companies need to stop sending people on H1-B visas and focus on local hiring in the US, Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy said today amid rising concerns over Donald Trump administration's proposals to restrict inflow of foreign workers. Stating that by and large Indian mindset is always to take the "soft option", Murthy -- one of the pioneers of India's IT outsourcing industry -- said becoming multi-cultural is not easy and is a "very, very hard option". "They (Indian software companies) must recruit American residents in the US, Canadians in Canada, British people in Britain etc. That's the only way, we can become a true multi-national company and in order to do that, we should stop using H1-B visas and sending a large number of Indians to those countries to deliver services," Murthy told NDTV. He added that recruitment from colleges should be done and local people be trained to add value to Indian companies. The proposed overhaul of popular H-1B visa regime by US President Donald Trump has raised concerns among the Indian IT firms. Also, the recent introduction of a US bill (Lofgren Bill) that proposes doubling of the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders to USD 130,000 from USD 60,000 has made the industry worried. Any changes in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the USD 110 billion Indian outsourcing industry. "I think even if the executive order comes, we should look at it more as opportunity for Indian companies to become more multi-cultural than we have been, rather than looking at it as a lacuna," Murthy said. The US contributes nearly 62 per cent of the exports. Analysts are of the opinion that Indian tech companies could easily witness around 60-70 per cent rise in salaries of H-1B visa dependent workforce, leading to a 5-10 per cent hit on the margins, depending on the total base of employees currently on H1-B visas. Asked why Indian companies were in panic over the protectionist stance of the new US administration, Murthy said Indian companies will have to learn to work with non-Indian professionals and become more multi-cultural. "I think by and large, the Indian mindset is always to take the soft option. Becoming multi-cultural is a very, very hard option, it's not easy. Our managers will have to learn with non-Indian professionals, how to get the best out of them, how to work in teams that are multi-cultural, how to make sure that we understand the rules of crossing cultures," he said. Murthy added that this was the "only way" to remove the risk of government mandating things like the executive order. (PTI)

Indian IT companies should become multi-cultural, do local hiring in US: Narayana Murthy

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