Hours after the US administration put a prohibitive USD 100,000 (about Rs 88 lakh) fee for H-1B visa applications, India said on Saturday that this measure is likely to have “humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families” and the Indian government expressed hoped that these disruptions can be “addressed suitably by the US authorities”.
The Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The Government has seen reports related to the proposed restrictions on the US H-1B visa program. The full implications of the measure are being studied by all concerned, including by Indian industry, which has already put out an initial analysis clarifying some perceptions related to the H-1B program.”
He said that the industry in both India and the US has a “stake in innovation and creativity” and can be expected to “consult on the best path forward”.
“Skilled talent mobility and exchanges have contributed enormously to technology development, innovation, economic growth, competitiveness and wealth creation in the United States and India,” the MEA spokesperson said, adding that “policy makers will therefore assess recent steps taking into account mutual benefits, which include strong people-to-people ties between the two countries.”
“This measure is likely to have humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused for families. Government hopes that these disruptions can be addressed suitably by the US authorities,” it said.
Right now, the deadline being from September 21 — reports suggest that the H-1B visa holders or their family members currently outside America for work or vacation are scrambling to return within the next 24 hours or risk being stranded and denied entry into the US as the H-1B visa proclamation comes into effect from 12:01 am September 21.
This move — targeted at curbing the “abuse of H-1B visa regime” — is potentially going to impact Indian skilled professionals. Currently, the H-1B visa fee ranges from about USD 2000 to USD 5000, depending on employer size and other costs. The visas are valid for three years and can be renewed for another three years.
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Indians are the biggest beneficiaries of the H-1B visas. Between October 2022 and September 2023, 72 per cent of the nearly 4 lakh visas issued under the H-1B programme went to Indian nationals. During the same period, top four Indian IT majors with a presence in the US — Infosys, TCS, HCL, and Wipro — obtained approval for around 20,000 employees to work on H-1B visas, as per the latest US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data.
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