Indian techies look to Canada |
Reactions to the Trump about H -1 B visas, which could lead to 500,000-750,000 Indians returning home, are drastically different. Many of them are trying to apply to jobs where there is a possibility to move to other countries. And Canada is now emerging as an appealing proposition. R Chandrashekhar, president of industry lobby group NASSCOM, said the fears about the latest move were exaggerated and that the proposal would affect Indian workers in general, and not just the IT sector. The critical thing to look at is the series of moves that cumulatively intend to make it more difficult to hire Indian employees. The US proposal has been circulated in the form of an internal memo in the department of homeland security, which oversees citizenship and immigration, and intends to end the provision of granting extensions to H-1B visa holders whose applications for permanent residency (Green Card) had been accepted. An H-1B visa is granted for three years, with the provision of three more with one extension after which visa holders return to their countries. If approved for Green Card, they wait in the US using extensions. In Hyderabad, techies said they were worried but certain that big American tech companies would resist the move. More than 40% Indians employed in US firms with H1-B visas do not have green cards yet.
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