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.
The conspiracy with which Patel and Mohta are charged carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Senate immigration plan would dramatically increase the number of high-skilled foreign workers allowed into the country and give permanent legal status to an unlimited number of students who earn graduate degrees from US universities in science, technology, engineering or math, Washington Post reported quoting people familiar with the negotiations.
Extensions of H-1B visas have become even tougher, in particular if the employee has been on a bench for any part of their previous duration.
IT company Infosys on Thursday posted 13.2 per cent increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 7,364 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2025.
A top US Democratic lawmaker, known for his pro-immigration credentials, has cast serious doubts on the ability of the Congress to finalise a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform law.
The Coalition's mandate is to spread the word that American competitiveness requires global integration, including value-added IT enabled support from overseas.
The four defendants allegedly used three California corporations to orchestrate the improper submission of more than one hundred H-1B visa applications.
The bill moved after months of closed-door meetings by a group of eight bipartisan lawmakers, known as the Gang of Eight, aimed at striking a balance between enforcement provisions sought by Republicans as well as Democrats, including making citizenship widely accessible to those illegally in America.
Bengaluru is at a critical juncture, where its economic model, reliant on attracting and retaining skilled professionals, is directly threatened by a measurable decline in urban quality of life, point out Shishir Gupta and Rishita Sachdeva.
Officials said the Citizenship and Immigration Services would not issue daily update on number of applications received, but will make an announcement when the cap is reached.
The US Citizenship Act 2023 introduced by Congresswoman Linda S nchez creates an earned roadmap to citizenship for all 11 million undocumented immigrants, providing Dreamers, TPS holders, and some farmworkers with an immediate path to citizenship.
India has no work visa similar to the H-1B, nor a reciprocal arrangement with the US. India does not provide employment authorisation to spouses of those who hold an Indian employment visa.
In less than a week of Donald Trump being sworn in as the 45th US President, the "H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act" was introduced to prioritise American workers and restore fairness in visa programmes for skilled workers.
Trump's proposed policy limits undergraduates from any one country to 5% at select top US universities, raising concerns for Indian aspirants eyeing elite colleges.
While both sides have announced the decision to restart talks for a trade deal, government officials said discussions are continuing virtually.
H-4 is issued to the spouse of H-1B visa holders, a significantly large number of whom are high-skilled professionals from India.
Indian IT workers are paid considerably less than their American counterparts who have similar qualifications, making the H-1B visa programme "deeply flawed", according to a study.
IT firms in the US are struggling to find quality and right number of professionals
Under these reforms, the H-1B programme will prioritise those workers who are offered the highest wage, ensuring that the highest-skilled applicants are admitted, the White House said.
Walt Disney staff were reportedly replaced with Indians holding H-1B.
The US Senate has approved a landmark immigration reform bill that would give citizenship to millions of illegal persons and double the number of H1-B visas from the present 65,000
'The US values its relationship with India and under the strong leadership of President Donald J Trump and Prime Minister Modi, I am optimistic about the days ahead for both of our nations.'
'Skilled labour is different from immigration.' 'While any adverse immigration ruling will impact Indians, it may not necessarily affect the IT services industry.'
Dr Vakil examines the current state of affairs regarding H-1B visa limits in America. How can you best maximise your chance of securing a visa? Read on
An ongoing federal probe into H-1B visa fraud leads to 11 arrests and the indictment of IT services firm Vision Systems Group
US federal authorities have claimed to have unearthed a major H-1B visa racket with the arrest of at least 11 persons, most of them suspected to be of Indian origin.
ITServe's lawsuit against the USCIS alleges that the agency has no authority to misinterpret the existing regulations and shorten the approval durations.
Two US lawmakers have asked nine foreign-based firms, including some leading Indian companies that used 20,000 of such visas, to disclose details about their workforce and their use of the special programme.
As the United States is having a tough time in filling up its annual quota of 65,000 H-1B work visas for highly skilled categories, an official report in Washington has said that the Indian nationals accounted for the 38 per cent of the total H-1B visas issued by the United States last year.
International companies usually store data on global servers and the requirement to store data locally would require them to make an additional investment. But policymakers in India believe storing data locally would help monitor and conduct investigations if the need arises.
Congress should pass laws that create US jobs, not destroy them," said Marc Apter, president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-USA.
According to the latest figure update by US Citizenship and Immigration Services, approximately 46,700 of the H-1B visas in the general category were filled up by September 25; against a Congressional mandated figure of 65,000.
Analysts say the impact on Indian entities would not be immediate
There has never been a moment in India's history when it has been so adrift in the world, so confused about what it stands for and against and so humiliated, asserts Aakar Patel.
The annual meet also saw some shareholders of the country's second largest IT services company raising concerns over falling operating margins. But many congratulated the management for delivering good FY20 performance despite the tough economic conditions.
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