New Delhi: The proposed US Bill -- Protect and Grow American Jobs – suggesting tweaks in H-1B visa –the most sought after among Indian IT professionals – may cause an estimated deportation of 500,000-750,000 H-1B visa holders.
However, the soothing message from Mahindra and Mahindra Chairman Anand Mahindra may calm panicked gripped IT professionals.
Reacting to the speculated deportation IT professionals on the backdrop of a possible H-1B visa tweak, the Mahindra Chairman said that if that happens, then he would say "welcome".
Mahindra Tweeted:
If that happens, then I say ‘Swagatam, Welcome Home.’ You’re coming back in time to help India Rise... https://t.co/HD2rhHRxJq
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) January 3, 2018
The bill proposes new restrictions to prevent abuse and misuse of H-1B visas. It tightens the definition of visa- dependent companies, and imposes fresh restrictions in terms of minimum salary and movement of talent.
Apart from prescribing higher minimum wages, the Bill places the onus on clients that they will certify that the visa holder is not displacing an existing employee for a tenure of 5-6 years.
The Bill proposes to raise the minimum wage substantially to about USD 100,000 if the company has to be exempted from the labour certification requirements.
Also, the client deploying the H-1B visa worker will have to certify that no American worker will be displaced for the 5-6 year period.
The software services provider will have to notify the US authorities if the client has displaced a worker, an obligation that is unprecedented.
