A bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the US House of Representatives to eliminate the per country cap on employment-based Green Card, a move which is likely to benefit Indian IT professionals languishing over decades of waiting for the Permanent Resident Card. The legislation was introduced by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and Congressman John Curtis. The Equal Access to green cards for Legal Employment (EAGLE) Act, 2021 needs to be passed by the Senate before it can be sent to the White House for the president to sign it into a law. A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants to the US as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently.
Infosys as working on becoming "independent of the visa issue" as much as possible and hire more locals
Even as India reacted strongly against the proposed changes in the US visa regime, trade experts said the country could do little in multilateral forums like the World Trade Organization to appeal against implementation of such measures.
Over 15,000 NRI resumes have accumulated in the inboxes of headhunters, and the number is set to increase, say HR executives.
Reduced hiring in the US market due to the lingering impact of the global financial crisis has resulted in a spike in the number of non-resident Indian resumes received by Indian human resources (HR) companies. Over 15,000 NRI resumes have accumulated in the inboxes of headhunters, and the number is set to increase, say HR executives.
If Obama makes it difficult for U.S. companies to send jobs overseas or hire using H-1B visas, India's huge IT sector could suffer
US Consular Officers hosted a chat with readers to address their queries and doubts. The transcript.
The bill, however, has to be passed by the Senate, wherein the Republicans enjoy a majority, before it can be signed into law by the US President Donald Trump.
"Fifteen years ago, I was leading the efforts to approve the historic civil nuclear deal with India. I said that if the US and India became closer friends and partners, then the world will be a safer place," Biden, who was vice-president in the Obama administration, said while addressing the Indian-American community on India's Independence Day.
The other top officials who will accompany the US president are Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien and Energy Secretary Dan Broulliette, the sources said.
The $140-billion Indian IT market is facing challenges on multiple fronts including stricter visa regime in key markets and shortage of skilled manpower for new technology areas like data science.
With countries like the US restricting hiring of foreign workers on H-1B work visas, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday opposed imposition of restrictions on international migration.
Everyday job cuts, a slump in university admissions and a dwindling demand for H1B visas might project a gloomy US scenario to an average student in India but there is light at the end of the tunnel for those who think ahead.
"For most Americans, the beginning of April signifies the start of spring. For others, it means Opening Day of the baseball season. But for US employers, April first marks the day that US Citizenship and Immigration Services begins accepting new H-1B visa petitions for 2009," it said. "And once again, America's companies will be left in the lurch as the sparse annual allotment of H-1B visas will be reached on the very first day," the association said.
Bank of America has become the first US bank to withdraw job offers made to MBA students graduating from US business schools this summer, citing conditions laid out in its bail-out deal as the reason.
Of the approximately 11,000 employees of Satyam USA, 7,000 are on H1B visas, says Mathew Daniel, a vice president of US operations with the company.
The arrest of Nilesh Dasondi, noted community activist and Edison zoning board member, in an immigration scam involving his company, Cygate Software and Consulting, has shocked the community. Dasondi, 41, is charged with violations including visa fraud and conspiracy to commit visa fraud.They posed as software experts and were sponsored for H1-B visas by Cygate; in the event, they were running shops or doing other businesses, according to court papers.
With the arrest of seven Indians, American authorities have claimed to have busted an immigration racket run by an infotech company owner who charged tens of thousands of dollars from expatriates by fraudulently sponsoring their H-1B work visas.
The Budget will obviously be crucial. But US President Donald Trump may have even more of an influence than Finance Minister Arun Jaitley when it comes to sentiment, argues Devangshu Datta.
Even as the H1-B cap for the year was reached for regular and 'advanced degree' students, the Department of Homeland Security announced an extension of the Optional Practical Training period up to 29 months.
IIM Calcutta (IIM-C) held the first phase of its final placements process between February 21 and 24, which saw a total of 207 offers being made to a total of 265 students from the Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) and Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Management (PGDCM) batch of 2007-09.
Infosys, Tata Motors, ONGC, TCS and GAIL are the top 5 losers.
Looking for crumbs from Obama doesn't say much for India Shining.
Ahead of his India visit on February 24-25, Trump said that India has not treated his country 'very well' on the trade front and indicated that a 'very big' bilateral deal with New Delhi may not be signed before the American presidential election in November.
With visas set to max out quickly again, tech companies want more. Amid rising joblessness, does America need more skilled foreign workers?
At least three brokerages, two domestic and one global, have said the company could cut its revenue growth guidance again in dollar terms
In the wake of ensuing presidential elections in the United States, the Indo-US Business Alliance, a politically strong trade group, is making efforts to get the annual limit of H1B visa raised from 65,000.
The Indo-American Society has organised a seminar on US student and work visas in Mumbai.
They reason that hiring locals abroad -- where they have 'near-shore' (with proximity to the client) development centres -- would help them tap local markets and serve global clients better, win more deals and goodwill in those countries, besides scoring brownie points with the US in an election year (over H1-B visas).
India was a very important strategic partner of the US, she said.
From the perspective of an American worker who is being displaced it does not make a difference whether he is displaced by a visa-dependent company or a non-visa-dependent company or a 50-50 company or whatever: Nasscom president.
Leading Indian and global information technology firms such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Cognizant Technology Solutions, IBM, Satyam Computer Services and Wipro top the list of L visa users for the financial year 2006-07.
A recent US Department of State directive to the US consular posts now requires consulting an electronic record for visa issuance in these categories.
If you are a student in the US with a J-1 or an M-1 visa, what employment options are open to you? Read on to find out.
TCS, Infosys ramp up onshore hiring; Infosys committed to hire 25,000 over 5 years.
The depreciating rupee against dollar has a short-term benefit for the IT industry and the sector should not depend on currency management for profits, a top functionary of industry body Nasscom said.
A N Shanbhag, the highly respected investment guru, and his son Sandeep Shanbhag, answer your questions on NRI investment.
Indian information technology firms continue to be accused of misusing H1B and L1 visas and depriving the US youth of employment opportunities. However, these very IT firms are increasingly hiring locals from foreign countries.
A lot needs to be clarified about your work visa when you are thinking of migrating to US, even if it is for a couple of years. Here's help from experts.
Dr Vakil, a US visa expert, had been a regular contributor to Get Ahead and hosted a number of chats with our readers.
