H-1B visa allocation: IT sector body Nasscom has stated that it will be filing comments in assistance of the delay in implementation of Trump-era rule on H-1B visa allocation policy which, if implemented, could have hurt the interests of the Indian workforce and Indian IT corporations.
The newly-elected Joe Biden administration has postponed the date of implementation of the proposed H-1B visa policy till December 31, providing the US immigration agency more time to create, test and implement modifications to the registration method.
The sector body stated in a statement: “Nasscom welcomes this announcement by DHS including undertaking a detailed review of the rule. Rather than follow the clear language and intent of the statute, the agency had sought to move from the existing selection process for H-1B visas.”
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Nasscom stated that providing priority based on wage levels could potentially “significantly damage” some of the most revolutionary corporations in the globe along with lots of hospitals and wellness care providers, investigation facilities, universities and other petitioners.
“We believe it is important for the US to be able to access talent critical to the COVID recovery phase,” it added.
What are the modifications proposed in the H-1B visa allocation rule?
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had announced in January that it would do away with the classic H-1B lottery method which was relied upon to make a decision the prosperous applicants for H-1B visas to the United States of America.
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As per the proposed rule, which was to “protect the economic interests of American workers”, the USCIS had stated that it would prioritise wages in order to make sure that the most extremely skilled foreign workers advantage from the short-term employment programme. The changed Trump-era H1B visa rule was scheduled to go into impact on March 9. During the delay, DHS will evaluation the H1B visa rule as a entire for prospective modifications or rescinding it.
What is H-1B visa?
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa to the United States of America which permits US corporations to employ skilled foreign workers in specialty occupations that demand theoretical or technical knowledge. The American technologies corporations rely on the H1B visa to employ thousands of engineers, Chartered Accountants, and other specialty workforce each year from nations like India and China.
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How lots of H-1B visas are issued each year?
The USCIS can problem a maximum of 65,000 H-1B visas in a year. It can also problem yet another 20,000 H-1B visas to foreign students who have completed larger research from a US university in science, technologies, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.