Mangala Kuppa, an Indian-origin technology leader, has been appointed as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the US Department of Labour, after serving in an acting capacity since October. She also serves as the department's Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer.
In what is seen as a U-turn, US President Donald Trump appeared to defend the H-1B visa programme to bring talent from across the world, saying a foreign investor cannot pull people off an unemployment line, who haven't worked in five years, and start making missiles.
Indian professionals, including technology workers and physicians, are among the largest cohort of H-1B visa holders.
A US Homeland Security official says America will continue using the H-1B visa programme, emphasizing integrity and vetting, while highlighting increased naturalization rates under the Trump administration.
'This idea that inexpensive tech consultants should be coming into this country and bringing their families, I find it just wrong.'
A deep dive into Trump's new policy and what it means for Indian professionals and companies.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in a 'H-1B FAQ' document, released on Sunday, said that the September 19 proclamation took an "important, initial, and incremental step" to reform the H-1B visa programme to curb abuses and protect American workers.
A group of influential lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan legislation in the US Senate to comprehensively overhaul the H-1B and L-1 visa programmes and usher in more transparency in the recruitment of foreign workers. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) on Tuesday said the labour strike at its Bidadi-based manufacturing plant in Karnataka has come to an end. In November last year, the automaker had to declare a lockout at the facility following workers' union members resorting to a sit in strike at the factory premises to protest against the suspension of a worker.
Several individuals and organisations, including the US Chambers of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers, have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration's recent rules related to the H-1B visa, terming them "arbitrary" and "haphazard" regulations that will undermine high skilled immigration into America. Early this month, the Trump administration announced new restrictions on H-1B non-immigrant visa programme which it said is aimed at protecting American workers, restoring integrity and to better guarantee that H-1B petitions are approved only for qualified beneficiaries and petitioners, a move which is likely to affect thousands of Indian IT professionals.
The Trump administration has announced new restrictions on H-1B non-immigrant visa programme which it said is aimed at protecting American workers, restoring integrity and to better guarantee that H-1B petitions are approved only for qualified beneficiaries and petitioners, a move which is likely to affect thousands of Indian IT professionals.
The Biden administration on Friday issued a formal notification to delay the implementation of the previous Trump regime's controversial rule to raise mandatory minimum pay for foreign workers on H-1B visa, the most sought after among Indian IT professionals. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty 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 Department of Labour in its federal notification published on Friday said that it is considering whether to propose a further delay of the final rule's effective date and accompanying implementation periods that are currently scheduled to take effect on May 14, 2021, and July 1, 2021, respectively.
The Indian IT companies, which account for a large number of H-1B applications, are likely to face the additional financial burden because of this proposed increase in H-1B filing fees.
The new information required by the Department of Labour is significant because before sponsoring a foreign worker for the H-1B visa, the company needs to get its labour application approved by it.
However, several other Indian products continue to be in this list.
Most of the large Indian IT services players, such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro, and HCL Tech, have signalled increased offshoring efforts and opting for local hires in the US, primarily to address the immigration-related challenges.
A Silicon Valley IT company in the US has been ordered to pay $40,000 in back wages to eight Indian workers who worked up to 122 hours a week and received as little as $1.21 an hour.
A group of Indian workers in the US have filed a lawsuit in a district court against the Swaminarayan sect BAPS, accusing it of human trafficking and wage law violations during the construction of a massive temple in New Jersey.
Trump told reporters that his administration will not tolerate firing of hardworking Americans in pursuit of cheap foreign labour.
Top officials from the US department of labour, organisers of the event, said the innovative 100-day rural employment guarantee scheme has been successful beyond the expectations of almost every one.
The Labour Party leader, whose stand on Kashmir has not gone down well with the Indian government, also tweeted a picture of the meeting.
High-tech industry bodies have welcomed the move to drop a hefty $3500 fee increase in the H1B visa programme, which would also benefit Indian professionals seeking jobs in the US. Hailing the move, they said the US must retain top talent from around the world to retain America's economic leadership.
Walt Disney staff were reportedly replaced with Indians holding H-1B.
It is premature to make the assumption that Biden's policy toward China will not be a break with Trump, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Oil, banks eneded the day in green while few in auto sector lost heavily.
The US had initiated investigation against Infosys and its larger rival Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for possible violations of H-1B visa rules in June.
Trump to sign an executive order aimed at achieving a more skills-based and merit-based immigration system.
But Indian information technology workers might do better without the companies that held them back, says Mihir S Sharma.
H-1B visa reform bill introduced in US Senate
US President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to pull out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the world's largest trade deal, and investigate abuses of work visa programmes as he outlined his policy plans for the first 100 days in office.
Aditi Hardikar says she is proud to honour her parents' sacrifices by giving back to her community and country.
The current H-1B minimum wage of USD 60,000 was established in 1989 and since then has remained unchanged.
The government had constituted a one-man probe panel to look into Walmart's lobbying activities, after a political furore over the issue late last year.
'If you are so blinded by the Buy American, Hire American policy, if you are not going to be fair, consistent and welcoming, in the end America will lose out.'
Incoming US President Donald Trump has assembled a core team that is -- not surprisingly -- overwhelmingly white and male.
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