<p>While Indian IT professionals have been worried by the recent clampdown on H1-B visas as Donald Trump pledges to prioritise jobs for Americans, Singapore has been quietly cutting down visas for Indian IT professionals over the last few months, the Times of India reported.</p>

<p>As a result, the Indian government has put on hold the review of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) citing violation of the trade pact.</p>

<p>&quot;This (visa problem) has been lingering for a while but since early-2016, visas are down to a trickle. All Indian companies have received communication on fair consideration, which basically means hiring local people,&quot; Nasscom president R Chandrashekhar was quoted as saying by the Times of India.</p>

<p>Singapore visa authorities were insisting on what is called &quot;economic needs test&quot; (ENT), which requires compliance with certain economic criteria, to deny access to Indian professionals, according to the Times of India.</p>

<p>TOI further states that the tests are being conducted despite the CECA clearly stating that there will be no ENT or quotas on agreed services.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Most of India&rsquo;s top IT companies like TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant have offices in Singapore.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


Indian companies in Singapore are being advised to hire local talent

While Indian IT professionals have been worried by the recent clampdown on H1-B visas as Donald Trump pledges to prioritise jobs for Americans, Singapore has been quietly cutting down visas for Indian IT professionals over the last few months, the Times of India reported. As a result, the Indian government has put on hold the review of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) citing violation of the trade pact. "This (visa problem) has been lingering for a while but since early-2016, visas are down to a trickle. All Indian companies have received communication on fair consideration, which basically means hiring local people," Nasscom president R Chandrashekhar was quoted as saying by the Times of India. Singapore visa authorities were insisting on what is called "economic needs test" (ENT), which requires compliance with certain economic criteria, to deny access to Indian professionals, according to the Times of India. TOI further states that the tests are being conducted despite the CECA clearly stating that there will be no ENT or quotas on agreed services. Most of India’s top IT companies like TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant have offices in Singapore. (WION)

After H-1B visa clampdown, Singapore blocks Indian IT professionals

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the United States on Tuesday to keep an open mind on admitting skilled Indian workers, in comments that pushed back against Republican President Donald Trump&#39;s &quot;America First&quot; rhetoric on jobs.</p>

<p>Modi&#39;s comments reflected concern that India&#39;s $150 billion IT services industry would suffer if the United States curbs the visas, known as H-1B, it relies on to send its software experts to the United States on project work.</p>

<p>&quot;The prime minister referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society,&quot; Modi&#39;s office said in a statement after he met a bipartisan delegation of 26 members of the US&nbsp;Congress.</p>

<p>&quot;He urged developing a reflective, balanced and far-sighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals.&quot;</p>

<p>Indian nationals are by far the largest group of recipients of the 65,000 H-1B visas issued each year to new applicants under a cap mandated by Congress. Exemptions on the H-1B cap are available to up to 20,000 further applicants who have obtained a US&nbsp;master&#39;s degree.</p>

<p>The actual number of Indian nationals working in the United States under the H-1B programme is significantly higher, however, because many visas are rolled over.</p>

<p>Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who was born in India, also met Modi on Tuesday. He told the Economic Times earlier that his own career had been made possible by &quot;an enlightened immigration policy&quot;.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="videos-block">
<div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kIYjNp_Whdw"></iframe></div>
</div>

<div class="media-description">
<p>Microsoft&#39;s Chief Executive, Satya Nadella, calls on Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in New Delhi. (WION)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Initial confidence that Asia&#39;s third-largest economy would benefit from Trump&#39;s election victory has given way to concern that his isolationist rhetoric and hostility to free trade would hurt India&#39;s hi-tech and outsourcing industry.</p>

<p>The sector, led by Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys Ltd and Wipro Ltd, employs 3.5 million people and is lobbying against proposed US&nbsp;visa curbs - including increases on salaries that H-1B visa holders must earn.</p>

<p>Part of the delegation led by Congressman Bob Goodlatte, a Republican from Virginia who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, met Ravi Shankar Prasad, India&#39;s minister in charge of electronics and IT.</p>

<p>Goodlatte, speaking at the meeting with Prasad, declined to answer a question on visa restrictions, saying it was up to the president to reassess his policies on immigration.</p>

<p>A senior Indian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said India hoped to resolve the visa issue with the United States but declined to be drawn on the details.</p>

<p>The government supported a move by NASSCOM, India&#39;s high-tech industry association, to lobby US&nbsp;lawmakers and companies to urge the administration not to crack down on allowing its skilled workers into the United States, the source said.</p>

<p>(Reuters)</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the United States to keep an open mind on admitting skilled Indian workers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the United States on Tuesday to keep an open mind on admitting skilled Indian workers, in comments that pushed back against Republican President Donald Trump's "America First" rhetoric on jobs. Modi's comments reflected concern that India's $150 billion IT services industry would suffer if the United States curbs the visas, known as H-1B, it relies on to send its software experts to the United States on project work. "The prime minister referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society," Modi's office said in a statement after he met a bipartisan delegation of 26 members of the US Congress. "He urged developing a reflective, balanced and far-sighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals." Indian nationals are by far the largest group of recipients of the 65,000 H-1B visas issued each year to new applicants under a cap mandated by Congress. Exemptions on the H-1B cap are available to up to 20,000 further applicants who have obtained a US master's degree. The actual number of Indian nationals working in the United States under the H-1B programme is significantly higher, however, because many visas are rolled over. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who was born in India, also met Modi on Tuesday. He told the Economic Times earlier that his own career had been made possible by "an enlightened immigration policy". Microsoft's Chief Executive, Satya Nadella, calls on Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in New Delhi. (WION) × Initial confidence that Asia's third-largest economy would benefit from Trump's election victory has given way to concern that his isolationist rhetoric and hostility to free trade would hurt India's hi-tech and outsourcing industry. The sector, led by Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys Ltd and Wipro Ltd, employs 3.5 million people and is lobbying against proposed US visa curbs - including increases on salaries that H-1B visa holders must earn. Part of the delegation led by Congressman Bob Goodlatte, a Republican from Virginia who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, met Ravi Shankar Prasad, India's minister in charge of electronics and IT. Goodlatte, speaking at the meeting with Prasad, declined to answer a question on visa restrictions, saying it was up to the president to reassess his policies on immigration. A senior Indian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said India hoped to resolve the visa issue with the United States but declined to be drawn on the details. The government supported a move by NASSCOM, India's high-tech industry association, to lobby US lawmakers and companies to urge the administration not to crack down on allowing its skilled workers into the United States, the source said. (Reuters)

H1-B visa: US should adopt balanced approach, says PM Modi

us-h1-b-visas

Us H1 B Visas, News on Us H1 B Visas, stories on Us H1 B Visas, articles on Us H1 B Visas, Us H1 B Visas stories at Wion, Us H1 B Visas news, Us H1 B Visas latest news

us h1-b-visas

After H-1B visa clampdown, Singapore blocks Indian IT professionals

H1-B visa: US should adopt balanced approach, says PM Modi