Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul><li>The US government is relaxing its restriction on the entry of <keyword id="6358066" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="h-1b-visa">H-1B visa</keyword> holders into the country but based on some terms and conditions. </li><li>Terms and conditions include resuming existing employment and proving that absence of the H-1B visa holder would result in a serious financial loss to the company. </li><li>The move comes just one day after tech giants like Facebook, Google, and Microsoft decided to support the lawsuit filed against the visa suspension by 174 Indian families. </li></ul>Indian H-1B visa holders will finally be able to return to the US with the country’s State Department relaxing the visa restrictions issued by US President Donald Trump last month. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="77120776" title="The H1-B visa ban is not what Indian IT firms want⁠— but they are pocketing some savings while it lasts" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> The move comes just one day after tech giants in the US — including Facebook, Google, and Microsoft — decided to back the lawsuit filed on behalf of 174 Indian families against Trump’s proclamation. But, not everybody will make the cut. The State Department has added some terms and conditions that will determine the eligibility of an H1-B applicant’s necessity to return to the US. The problem with these requirements is that they do not appear in US laws and are completely arbitrary. Despite that, employers and employees alike consider the move an improvement over the status quo. India’s leading tech lobby NASSCOM remains ‘cautiously optimistic’. “NASSCOM welcomes this move and believes it will help US businesses access talent critical to the economic recovery phase in the post-COVID world,” it said in a statement. H-1B visa holders can only return to the US if they already have a job there To travel back to the US on an H-1B visa, one has to be resuming ongoing employment, be a technical specialist, a COVID-19 researcher, or a public healthcare worker in order to qualify for travel. Who can travel back to the US on an H-1B visa: <ol><li>Applicants seeking to resume ongoing employment </li><li>Technical specialists </li><li>Public health or healthcare professionals </li><li>COVID 19 researcher </li><li>“Other workers whose travel is necessary to facilitate the immediate and continued economic recovery of the United States.” </li><li>Dependents — spouses and children — will be allowed to travel with visa holders (End graphic) </li></ol>Assuming that the above criterion is met, there are still a few more hoops to jump through. How will the US State Department determine that you’re ‘unique’? Even if an H-1B applicant wants to return to their existing job, they have to prove themselves to be unique. The US State Department has listed five criteria, and at least two must be met for applicants to be considered. Terms and conditions for H1-B visa holders to return to the US: <ul><li>They cannot do their job remotely. </li><li>Income meaningfully exceeds the prevailing wage rate by at least 15% indicating that they can’t be replaced by an American worker. </li><li>Proposed job duties or position within the company indicates significant and unique contributions to an employer meeting a critical infrastructure need. </li><li>Education, training, and experience demonstrate unusual expertise </li><li>Denial of the visa will cause financial hardship to the U.S. employer. (End graphic) </li></ul>Critical infrastructure sectors include chemical, communications, emergency services, energy, financial services, transportation, and water systems, among other areas. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/sbi-icici-bank-axis-kotak-and-others-have-plans-to-raise-14-billion-but-if-things-go-haywire-they-could-need-three-times-more/articleshow/77506879.cms">SBI, ICICI Bank, Axis, Kotak and others have plans to raise $14 billion — but if things go haywire, they could need three times more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/prime-minister-narendra-modi-speech-highlights-on-indias-new-tax/articleshow/77518678.cms">India’s ‘Transparent Taxation’ charter — Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/what-is-new-taxpayer-charter-and-faceless-scrutiny-in-tax/articleshow/77518551.cms">India's new tax charter promises 'faceless' scrutiny — Here's what that means</a>

US eases H-1B visa norms a day after tech giants back immigration lawsuit — NASSCOM ‘cautiously optimistic’

<ul><li>US President Donald Trump’s wife first entered the country on an <keyword id="6358066" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="h-1b-visa">H-1B visa</keyword> — the same work visa that Trump wants to make ‘merit-based’ and has suspended till the end of 2020. </li><li>Even Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and former CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, sustained their stay in the US on H-1B visas. </li><li>Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella gave back his green card for an H-1B visa so that his wife could join him in the US without having to revoke her own visa. </li></ul>US President Donald Trump’s attempts to reform visa regulations and his most recent freeze on issuing new visas, including the coveted H-1B work visa, may come as a surprise when one learns that some of the most notable names in the US made their way to the country on H-1B visas — including his own wise Melania Trump. Many of global leading names from the US from their way to the ‘land of the free’ through H-1B visas — including Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and former CEO of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi. Melania Trump’s H-1B story Melania Trump, sustained her stay in the US on a series of H1-B work visas. She apparently made her way to the US in August 1996 to pursue a career in modelling. Two months later, she obtained an H-1B visa that allowed her to work in the States for a year. After that, she was able to get five H-1B visas over the next five years, according to <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/16/melania-trumps-einstein-visa-and-chain-migration-detailed-in-new-book/">Mary Jordan</a>’s book ‘The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump’. It was only in 2001 that she received an ‘<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43256318">Einstein Visa</a>’ — also called the EB-1 visa — reserved for immigrants with ‘extraordinary ability’ and ‘sustained national and international acclaim’. This was after she started dating Donald Trump in 1998 and her lawyer has never published the details of her application. But without the initial line of H-1B visas, Melania would have never met Trump in the first place. Best of the best in the US have come in on H-1B visas Pichai is originally from Madurai in Tamil Nadu. He initially moved to the US on an F1 student visa after being accepted into Stanford University. Once he was employed with McKinsey &amp; Co. — just before joining Google — he was on an H-1B visa. He’s now a US citizen after being a green card holder for five years. Nadella too was born in Hyderabad before heading to the US to study electrical engineering at the University of Wisconsin. Even though he was a green card holder in 1993 when he married his wife, he went to H-1B status to that she could come to the States and join him. Around the campus, he was known as “the guy who gave up his green card,” he writes in his book ‘<a href="https://www.firstpost.com/world/all-for-love-when-satya-nadella-surrendered-his-green-card-for-h1-b-visa-4083165.html">Hit Refresh</a>’. Like Pichai, Nooyi was also born in Tamil Nadu but in the capital city of Madras. After working and Johnson and Johnson India, she left for the US to study at Yale. In 1980, she went to work from the <a href="https://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2004-Ko-Pr/Nooyi-Indra.html">Boston Consulting Group on an H-1B visa.</a> Another fourteen years down the line, she joined PepsiCo as senior vice president of corporate strategy and development becoming president and CFO by 2001 — and CEO by 2006. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/googles-sundar-pichai-facebook-and-amazon-heres-how-american-companies-reacted-to-donald-trumps-h1-b-visa-freeze/articleshow/76522530.cms">Google’s Sundar Pichai, Facebook and Amazon — here’s how American companies reacted to Donald Trump’s H1-B visa freeze</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/donald-trumps-h-1b-visa-ban-incites-a-sharp-reaction-from-indian-tech-company-like-wipro-tcs-infosys-tech-mahindra/articleshow/76524525.cms">Donald Trump's H-1B visa ban incites a sharp reaction from India's tech lobby</a>

Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Indra Nooyi and even Melania Trump entered the US on the same H-1B visa that Donald Trump's suspending

<ul><li>H1-B denial rates for initial petitions have increased from 6% in 2015 to 32% within the first quarter of 2019. </li><li>Attorneys and employers believe it’s because the United States Citizenship and Immigation Services has increased the standard of proof the approval of H1-B visas.</li><li>Top companies, like Amazon, witnessed their denial rate skyrocket from 3% to over 30% for continuing H1-B petitions.</li></ul>Denial rates for H-1B petitions is at an all time high and attorneys believe its because the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/h-1b-data-hub">increased</a> the standard of proof for approval without the requisite legal authority. H1-B denial rates for initial petitions have increased four times between 2015 to 2018, from 6% to 24%. The denial rates have spiked further to 32% in the first quarter of 2019 . An analysis by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) <a href="https://nfap.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/H-1B-Denial-Rates-Past-and-Present.NFAP-Policy-Brief.April-2019.pdf">states</a> that, in contrast, denial rates have never exceeded 8% in the years between 2010 and 2015. 
 
 
 <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype=""><cdata><![CDATA[
<div class="flourish-embed" data-src="visualisation/296909"></div>
]]></cdata></div>







 Even for people who already have H-1B visas, the denial rate for continuing petitions have trebled to 18% from a mere 3% in 2015. For eight years, between 2009 to 2017, the upper threshold for denial rates for such requests was 6%. 
 
 
 <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype=""><cdata><![CDATA[
<div class="flourish-embed" data-src="visualisation/296931"></div>
]]></cdata></div>







 The e-commerce giant, Amazon, saw a 17% denial rate on 228 H1-B petitions for continuing H1-B. In fact, almost every top employer on USCIS’ list saw an increase in their denials — in some cases, jumping from 2% to over 30%. Trump said that he wanted more ‘highly skilled’ immigrants to come to the US when he <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-executive-order-buy-american-hire-american/">issued</a> the ‘Buy American, Hire American’ executive order in 2017. Indian applicants, in particular, have a lot at stake. Over 75% of all H-1B visa applications <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indians-accounted-for-75-of-all-h1b-visas-in-the-us-in-the-last-two-years/articleshow/64079333.cms">between</a> 2016 and 2018 were from India. The April 2017 executive order <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/trump-may-have-an-ugly-surprise-for-h-1b-applicants-and-indian-it-companies/articleshow/67552613.cms">left</a> 65,000 people out of the general quota reducing the number of visas available to less-skilled workers usually employed by the Indian IT companies. But, in reality, lawyers have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/trump-said-he-wanted-more-highly-skilled-immigrants-to-come-to-the-us-but-skilled-educated-foreign-workers-are-leaving-the-us-dejected-saying-trump-doomed-their-american-dreams-leaving-businesses-in-the-lurch-/articleshow/68234469.cms">observed </a>an increase in the denial rate of H1-B visas for skilled applicants as well. Dejected candidates have reportedly been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/skilled-foreign-workers-are-giving-up-on-their-american-dreams-and-turning-to-canada/articleshow/68659342.cms">shifting</a> their aspirations to aim for a Canadian visa. The sudden and sharp increase in H1-B denials raises serious legal and policy questions <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2019/04/10/new-data-show-h-1b-denial-rates-reaching-highest-levels/#36bccee6797f">according</a> to Willam Stock, a founding member of Klasko Immigration Law Partners, who reviewed the data for Forbes. Stock explains, "One thing that is clear to me is that the data backs up what employers have been saying for the last two years: USCIS has raised the legal standard they use to decide whether enough evidence has been presented with petitions to approve them, without any legal authority to do so and without any notice to the public." The consequence of such high denial rates can have an impact on international students, expanding businesses, and applicants awaiting their green card approval. NFAP noted that only 20% of full-time computer science and electrical engineering students in US universities are actually citizens of the US. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/skilled-foreign-workers-are-giving-up-on-their-american-dreams-and-turning-to-canada/articleshow/68659342.cms">Skilled, foreign workers are giving up on their American dreams - and turning to Canada</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/Rejections-for-standard-work-visas-have-shot-up-under-the-Trump-administration-but-some-companies-have-avoided-the-trend/articleshow/68143712.cms?utm_source=ten_minutes_with&amp;utm_medium=Referral&amp;utm_campaign=Content_Patnership">Rejections for standard work-visas have shot up under the Trump administration, but some companies have avoided the trend</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indians-accounted-for-75-of-all-h1b-visas-in-the-us-in-the-last-two-years/articleshow/64079333.cms">Indians accounted for 75% of all H1B visas in the US in the last two years</a>

US Immigration is denying more H1-B visas than ever before — without notice or authority

<ul><li>Among Indian IT companies in the US nearly 80,000 employees are there on visas with the majority using the coveted H-1B. </li><li>TCS has the largest number of employees in the US within Indian IT services companies but only 40% are on the H-1B visa. </li><li>Tech Mahindra and Cognizant half a great dependency with nearly of their US staff on H-1B. </li></ul>In a bid to protect American jobs, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on June 22 introducing restrictions on new visa applications — including the IT sector’s coveted H-1B visa. There are currently 79,649 Indians working with Indian IT companies — including Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Cognizant, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, <keyword id="30331" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="HCL-Technologies">HCL Technologies</keyword> and Wipro — on visas in the US. While the new visa restrictions don’t impact people who are existing visa holders, Japanese brokerage firm Nomura points out that it could lead to a further increase in the rejection rates of renewals. Renewal rejection rate has already been on the rise over the past five years increasing from around 4% in 2016 to nearly 21% in 2020 for Indian IT companies. <div type="image" title="staff on h-1b visas (2)" msid="76638407" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Company-wise headcount of employees in the US on H-1B visas&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> TCS has the largest number of people working in the US as compared to other IT companies with 54,874 employees. On the total strength, only 40% are on visa; the rest are local employees. Within those who are in the US on a visa, 85% are on an H-1B visa — the others are on L-1 visas. Like TCS, Infosys too only has 40% visa holders as US staff. Tech Mahindra and Cognizant are the only two companies with half of their employees in the US on visas. Wipro and HCL Tech was a lower dependency on the visa with only 35% of their staff in the US being non-local. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Company </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Staff in the US </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Staff on L-1 visa </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Staff on H-1B visa </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Local staff </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">% on visa </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">TCS </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">54,874 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2,195 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">19,755 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">32,924 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">40% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Cognizant </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">54,183 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2,709 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">24,382 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">27,091 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">50% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Infosys </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">36,228 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,449 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">13,042 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">21,737 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">40% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Wipro </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">28,662 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,003 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">9,029 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">18,630 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">35% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">HCL Tech </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">22,855 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">800 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">7,199 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">14,856 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">35% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Tech Mahindra </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">14,687 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,102 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">6,242 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">7,343 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">50% </td></tr></tbody></table> SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/sundar-pichai-satya-nadella-indra-nooyi-and-even-melania-trump-entered-the-us-on-the-same-h-1b-visa-that-donald-trump-is-suspending/articleshow/76531744.cms">Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Indra Nooyi and even Melania Trump entered the US on the same H-1B visa that Donald Trump's suspending</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/googles-sundar-pichai-facebook-and-amazon-heres-how-american-companies-reacted-to-donald-trumps-h1-b-visa-freeze/articleshow/76522530.cms">Google’s Sundar Pichai, Facebook and Amazon — here’s how American companies reacted to Donald Trump’s H1-B visa freeze</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/donald-trumps-h-1b-visa-ban-incites-a-sharp-reaction-from-indian-tech-company-like-wipro-tcs-infosys-tech-mahindra/articleshow/76524525.cms">Donald Trump's H-1B visa ban incites a sharp reaction from India's tech lobby</a>

Nearly 80,000 Indians with H-1B visas work for TCS, Infosys and other Indian IT companies — here's a company-wise breakup

<ul><li>US President <keyword id="6354484" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Donald-Trump">Donald Trump</keyword> is expected to announce suspension of H1B, L1 and other temporary work visas.</li><li>The suspension is expected to be announced hours ahead of Trump's rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.</li><li>The suspension will not affect those already in the US, the report states.</li></ul>US President Donald Trump said that he will be announcing new visa restrictions in coming days. We're going to be announcing something tomorrow or the next day on visas," Xinhua news agency quoted Trump as saying in a Fox News interview on Sunday. He however declined to give any details but acknowledged that there will be some exclusions. "You need them for big businesses where they have certain people that have been coming in for a long time, but very little exclusion and they're pretty tight," he said. "And we may even go very tight for a period of time." Fox News Chief White House correspondent John Roberts tweeted that the restrictions will be imposed on H-1B, H-2B, L-1 and J-1 visas. H-1B visas are designed for certain skilled workers such as those employed in science, engineering, and information technology fields, while H-2B visas are given to seasonal workers such as hotel and construction staff. L-1 visas are meant for executives who work for large corporations and J-1 visas are issued to research scholars, professors and other cultural and work-exchange programs. Trump will reportedly sign an executive order to suspend the visas through the end of the year, as the administration is addressing a major economic fallout, including high unemployment among Americans, amid the coronavirus pandemic. That would be Trump's latest step to restrict immigration. In April, he temporarily halted the issuance of US green cards to some foreigners. Trump, who has maintained a hardline stance on immigration and used that to appeal to his voters, has been accused of using the pandemic to promote his political agenda.

US President Donald Trump to suspend H1B visas, will not affect those already in the states

<ul><li>The <keyword id="640473" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-Department-of-Homeland-Security">US Department of Homeland Security</keyword> is looking to replace the current H-1B lottery allotment system with a wage-based selection process. </li><li>It claims that the proposed rule prioritises higher salaries, keeps employers from exploiting the system, and improves the quality of migrant workers hired to come work in the US. </li><li>Companies like <keyword id="10387" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Microsoft">Microsoft</keyword>, Amazon, and Facebook have been fighting the temporary ban on H-1B visas. They will now have 30 days to submit their comments once the rule is published in the Federal Register. </li></ul>The US Department of Homeland Security is looking to revamp the current lottery system used to allot the technology sector’s favorite visa, the H-1B. Instead of random selection and baseline eligibility, the government is pitching for a wage-based selection process that will prioritise higher salaries. The department accused employees in the US of ‘exploiting and abusing’ the current system. It claims that instead of bringing the best and the brightest into the country, the random selection process is bringing in relatively lower-paid foreign labour at the expense of the US workforce. The department also justified that the new system will be more appropriate for the current crisis, where supply of foreign talent is more than demand. “If finalized as proposed, this new selection process would incentivize employers to offer higher wages or petition for positions requiring higher skills and higher-skilled workers instead of using the program to fill relatively lower-paid vacancies,” said the <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2020/10/28/dhs-trump-administration-protect-american-jobs-unfair-international-competition">notice. </a> US technology giants are fighting the change to visa rules tooth-and-nail Over 50 US technology companies — including big wigs like Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook — have taken a stand against the ban on the entry of foreign employees into the US. The legal brief challenges US President Donald Trump on the issue. It argues that visa restrictions will hurt the interest of businesses within the US and lead employees to hire workers outside the US instead of letting them work from within the country. These companies assert that instead of helping the debilitating state of the employment, the restrictions will only serve to damage the already struggling US economy further. However, one US court has already shot down an appeal filed by 169 Indian who challenged the ban. The US District Judge argued that those Indian IT companies, on the hand, have so far claimed that Trump’s <keyword id="6358066" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="h-1b-visa">H-1B visa</keyword> ban does not have any immediate impact on their operations. However, Infosys and HCL Technologies, have shared that they are looking to near-shore locations within the time zone as the US to expand their operations, with Canada being a popular candidate. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="78884838" title="EXCLUSIVE: HCL Tech is expanding operations in Canada as H-1B visa issues persist" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Homeland Security’s proposal is yet to receive a response from stakeholders. Once the proposed regulation is published in the Federal Register, it will be open to public comment. Those looking to share their view will have 30 days to submit their comments about the rule and another 60 days to submit comments that may be relevant to the proposed information collection. “The Department will review all properly submitted comments, consider them carefully, and draft responses before issuing a final rule,” said the notice. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/2020-full-blue-moon-will-appear-on-halloween-for-the-first-time-in-76-years-heres-why-it-was-missing-for-so-long/articleshow/78950810.cms">The Full Blue Moon haunting of Halloween returns after 76 years — and here's why it was silent since World War II</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-amazon-twitter-and-facebook-remain-apprehensive-about-indias-new-data-laws-but-paytm-is-open-to-regulation/articleshow/78949708.cms">Google, Amazon, Twitter, and Facebook remain apprehensive about India’s new data laws but Paytm is open to regulation</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/kepler-estimates-there-are-at-least-300-million-potentially-habitable-planets-within-the-milky-way-galaxy/articleshow/78946863.cms">Kepler estimates there are at least 300 million potentially habitable planets within the Milky Way galaxy</a>

US looks to replace H-1B visa lottery system with a wage-based selection process that will prioritise higher salaries

<ul><li>The US government is mulling nearly 10%-15% cap on H1-B visas for selective nations — including India. </li><li>The move is targeted on nations that restrain from global data storage norms seeking foreign companies to store data locally. </li><li>Of the 85,000 H1-B visas that are granted every year, nearly 70% go to the Indians. </li><li>This has hit the IT sector employees the most with nearly 40% <keyword id="61274" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-Visa">US visa</keyword> rejections. </li></ul>In bad news for Indians, the United States of America(USA) is reportedly considering nearly 10%-15% cap on H1-B visas for selective nations — including India. Amid the rising tensions over trade and tariffs, the government is considering the move on nations that restrain from global data storage norms seeking foreign companies to store data locally, according to a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-india-exclusive/exclusive-us-tells-india-it-is-mulling-caps-on-h-1b-visas-to-deter-data-rules-sources-idUSKCN1TK2LG">Reuters report</a>. The US government is considering the move on nations that restrain from global data storage norms seeking foreign companies to store data locally, according to a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-india-exclusive/exclusive-us-tells-india-it-is-mulling-caps-on-h-1b-visas-to-deter-data-rules-sources-idUSKCN1TK2LG">Reuters report</a>. The H1-B visas are issued to the skilled Indians planning to work in the US, every year. "The proposal is that any country that does data localisation, then it (H-1B visas) would be limited to about 15% of the quota. It's being discussed internally in the US government," Reuters reported citing sources. This comes just ahead of Mike Pompeo’s India visit. In a recent US-India Business Council event, he told that the US government will focus on consumer privacy, thereby allowing free flow of data across borders. The US, however, has not put a limit on visa grants to a specific country, TOI reported. Of the 85,000 H1-B visas that are granted every year, nearly<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/visa-and-immigration/us-tells-india-it-is-mulling-caps-on-h-1b-visas-to-deter-data-rules/articleshow/69865212.cms"> 70% go to the Indians</a>. The Trump government has been aggressively cracking down on the immigration rules. Recently, it directed the visa applicants to share their <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-visa-seekers-will-now-have-to-submit-their-social-media-handles/articleshow/69632144.cms">social media handles</a> that they have used in the last five years. This will enable the government to have access to applicants’ email address, phone number and locations among others. This has hit the Indian IT sector employees the most with nearly 40% US visa rejections. According to the US think-tank <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tcs-and-infosys-face-most-rejections-on-h1-b-work-visa-extension/articleshow/68316202.cms">Centre for Immigration Studies</a>, top IT firms Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Cognizant and Infosys faced the most rejections in extension of <keyword id="7779297" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="H1-B-work-visas">H1-B work visas</keyword>. Given that, "The next phase will be that Indian IT firms will go acquire more companies in the US. And, those companies will have back-end engineering in India,” Mohandas Pai, the former CEO of Infosys and a startup investor <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-h-1b-visa-rejection-rate-may-trigger-tech-ma/articleshow/69721592.cms">told</a>. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-h-1b-visa-rejection-rate-may-trigger-tech-ma/articleshow/69721592.cms">Rise in US H-1B visa rejection may force Indian tech companies to look at M&amp;A</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-visa-seekers-will-now-have-to-submit-their-social-media-handles/articleshow/69632144.cms">US visa seekers will now have to submit their social media handles</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tcs-and-infosys-face-most-rejections-on-h1-b-work-visa-extension/articleshow/68316202.cms">New H1-B rules bring more rejections on work visa renewals</a>

Trump plans a 15% cap on H-1B visas — and Indians will be hurt the most

<ul><li>The US approved more number of H1-B visas this year — both entry level and extension on work visas. </li><li>According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), it extended over 389,000 visas in 2019 fiscal — higher than 335,000 visas approved last year. </li><li>However, the number of approved L1 visas — which are given to existing employees at technology firm to relocate to the United States — dropped to 71.9%, as compared to 77.8% last year. </li><li>In a recent update, the US embassy said that the visa applicants should apply at least three months before the start of their employment.</li></ul>In good news to Indians, the US approved more H1-B visas this year — both entry level and work visa extensions. According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), it extended over 389,000 visas in 2019 fiscal — higher than 335,000 visas approved last year. In the last four years, as many as 100,000 more visas rolled out. This is despite Trump government tightening visa norms. In spite of stricter norms, the demand for work visas continues to be high. "It used to be that if the job requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree (or foreign equivalent) and the beneficiary (whose H-1B visa was being sponsored by the employer) possessed this qualification, the H-1B application was likely to be approved. Not anymore, as is reflected in the spate of requests for evidence (RFEs) and lower approvals post an RFE," Snehal Batra, Managing Attorney, NPZ Law Group<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/more-scrutiny-but-more-h-1b-visas-okd/articleshow/71572241.cms"> told </a>TOI. However, the number of approved L1 visas — which are given to existing employees at technology firm to relocate to the United States — dropped to 71.9%, as compared to 77.8% last year. Technology companies like Amazon, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) have been most impacted by the new immigration rules. The renewal of work visas has also thrown up hurdles, has hurt Indian IT majors. According to an ET <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/visa-and-immigration/decline-in-us-visa-approvals-continues/articleshow/71546846.cms">report</a>, the rejection rate for work visas has been increasing — with over 50% rejections during the first six months. While last year, TCS, Cognizant and Infosys faced the most <a href="https://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/corporate/indian-it-firms-see-higher-h-1b-visa-extension-rejections-us-firms-get-more-visas/68310179">rejections </a>in extension of H1-B work visas, as per the Centre for Immigration Studies, a US-based think tank. H1-B work visas are initially provided for three years — but can be extended for a similar term later. The US embassy also said that applicants should apply at least three months before the start of their employment. <div type="twitter" handle="USAndIndia" handlename="U.S. Embassy India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/624159508307185664/CyuUQx2F_normal.jpg" favoritecount="36" retweetcount="8" status="Applying for your work #USvisa? You can apply up to 90 days before the employment start date noted on your I-797. #USVisas" createdat="1570684441000" id="1182162345121861632"></div>

 See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/the-us-government-wants-to-check-social-media-handles-before-giving-a-green-card/articleshow/71003314.cms">The US government wants to check social media handles before giving a green card</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indians-studying-in-the-uk-have-doubled-in-the-last-three-years/articleshow/70804829.cms">Indians studying in the UK have doubled in the last three years</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/usa-has-passed-a-bill-to-help-indian-it-professionals-get-permanent-residency/articleshow/70170952.cms">Indians can get permanent residency easily in the US, if the Senate clears the Bill</a>

Despite tighter norms, the US approves 389,000 H1-B visas this year

<ul><li>Senator Mike Lee said on Wednesday: "By the time we stretch this (backlogs) out to 2030, the 195-year backlog I mentioned a moment ago would be extended out to a 400- to 450-year backlog."</li><li>Lee gave these wait times while opposing a Democratic bill that would protect the children of those on H1-B and other employment visas who are waiting for their green cards from being deported when they turn 21.</li><li>He said that with such long wait times, the children would not be able to qualify for green cards in their lifetimes and, instead, a comprehensive reform is needed.</li></ul> The wait time for green cards for Indians professionals stuck in the "awful, hellish green card backlog" could go up from the current 195 years to 450 years in ten years without a comprehensive reform of the immigration system, a Republican Senator has warned. Senator Mike Lee said on Wednesday: "By the time we stretch this (backlogs) out to 2030, the 195-year backlog I mentioned a moment ago would be extended out to a 400- to 450-year backlog." He said that for those filing for green cards "in 2020, the wait for an EB2 green card is not, in fact, 20 to 30 years for an Indian national. What is it, then? Is it 30? Is it 40, 50, 60? No, it is much longer than that. It is 195 years. This means that someone from India entering the backlog today would have to wait 195 years to receive an EB3 green card." EB2 green cards - the permanent immigration visa leading to citizenship - are for those with advanced degrees and EB3 for skilled and professional workers. The annual green card quota for India and most countries is about 26,000. Lee gave these wait times while opposing a Democratic bill that would protect the children of those on H1-B and other employment visas who are waiting for their green cards from being deported when they turn 21. He said that with such long wait times, the children would not be able to qualify for green cards in their lifetimes and, instead, a comprehensive reform is needed. When children turn 21, they are no longer considered dependents and will lose their visa status based on their parents' visas as well as their claim to a green card and the Protect Children of Immigrant Workers Act proposed by Democrat Senator Dick Durbin seeks to remedy this. While the cause of children who came to the US illegally has a lot of political support, the children who came in legally but reached adulthood has been under the radar and Durbin's bill proposes a parallel remedy. Durbin said that without increasing the total number of green cards, it would not be possible to deal with the huge backlogs and the decades-long wait times. He said, "Just do the math; 140,000 EB (employment) visas and 226,000 family visas per year and 5 million people waiting. If you think you can solve this without changing the number of green cards, you can't." He said that Lee told him that many Republicans opposed increasing the number of green cards that can be issued in a year. Durbin's bill would also allow H1-B visa-holders to file early for green cards, freeing them to switch jobs without being held down by the employers who sponsored them for theAvisa. One of the compromises offered in Durbin's bill is to restrict H1-B visas for outsourcing companies. It would prohibit a company from hiring additional H-1B workers in the future if the company's workforce is more than 50 employees and more than 50 per cent of those are temporary workers. He said that eight of the top ten companies getting H1-B visas were outsourcing companies. Defending his opposition to Durbin's bill. Lee said that the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act he and Democratic Senator Kamala Harris have proposed would protect children, protects widows and widowers of H1-B visa-holders, while expediting green cards for all high-skilled immigrants. A version of the bill that would lift national quotas to allow Indian applicants for green cards to get access to more immigration visas has been passed by the House of Representatives, but has been blocked by Durbin and two Republicans. Durbin has said that lifting the national quota restrictions would only increase the wait times for other countries unless the number of green cards is increased. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/after-google-pwc-india-declares-a-company-wide-holiday-for-its-employees-this-friday-offers-time-off-for-a-well-deserved-break/articleshow/77125627.cms">After Google, PwC India declares a company-wide holiday for its employees this Friday – offers time off for a 'well-deserved' break</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/mukesh-ambani-is-now-the-fifth-richest-person-in-the-world-according-to-forbes/articleshow/77105843.cms">Mukesh Ambani is now the fifth richest person in the world, according to Forbes</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tcs-infosys-hcl-tech-dont-want-h1b-ban-but-are-pocketing-savings-while-it-lasts/articleshow/77120776.cms">The H1-B visa ban is not what Indian IT firms want⁠— but they are pocketing some savings while it lasts</a>

Green card wait time for Indians can go to 450 years by 2030, warns a Republican Senator

<ul><li>The Trump administration has rolled out new H-1B visa rules less than a month before the US Presidential election. </li><li>This time the minimum wage requirements have been bumped up, and the eligibility criteria has been tightened along with some other changes. </li><li>Lawyers and experts believe that since the order didn’t follow the normal regulatory process, it’s likely to face a fierce challenge in court. </li></ul>The Trump administration has moved to make significant changes to Silicon Valley’s converted H-1B visa. The rules proposed by the US President will make it more expensive to hire employees from outside the country, tighten the eligibility criteria for visas, and plug up some of the other ‘loopholes.’ However, they may not stick around for very long. For Indian IT companies — like TCS, Infosys, HCL Technologies, and Wipro — this may <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tcs-infosys-hcl-tech-dont-want-h1b-ban-but-are-pocketing-savings-while-it-lasts/articleshow/77120776.cms">not be a very big deal in the short run</a> since they have already been localising their workforce and trying to cut down on visa requirements. However, in the long run, this could bode darker tidings. On the other hand, tech giants within the US, like Google, Apple, Facebook and others, depend on the H-1B visa to hire tens of thousands of employees each year, not just from India, but also other countries where the cost of labour is cheaper. Critics believe that the changes are more political in nature, coming just ahead of the 2020 US Presidential election in November. Regardless of the motivation, lawyers and experts assert that the new rules are likely to be challenged in court since they bypassed the normal regulatory process. Department of <keyword id="123836" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Homeland-security">Homeland Security</keyword> acting deputy secretary Ken Cuccinelli estimates that a third of applicants would be denied under the new rules. What are the new changes to H-1B visa rules? The new rules significantly raise the existing wage levels of H-1B employees. There are four wage levels, and the minimum amount for each has been bumped up — in certain cases, to more than double than what it used to be. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Wage level </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Earlier wage percentile </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">New wage percentile </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">17 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">45 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">34 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">62 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">3 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">50 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">78 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">4 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">67 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">95 </td></tr></tbody></table> The definition of ‘speciality occupation’ has also been narrowed down. Only certain types of degrees will now qualify a candidate for a visa. Select contract workers will also have a shorter time limit on their visas. More monitoring is also on the cards with the new rules enhancing the government’s ability to enforce compliance with worksite inspections, before and after an H-1B petition is approved. “With millions of Americans looking for work, and as the economy continues its recovery, immediate action is needed to guard against the risk lower-cost foreign labor can pose to the well-being of U.S. workers,” Patrick Pizzella, the deputy secretary of labor, told reporters on Tuesday. Trump has already been overruled once before The change to the H-1B visa ruels comes after a federal judge ruled that <keyword id="6354484" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Donald-Trump">Donald Trump</keyword> had overstepped his authority in June when he issued an order suspending H-1B visas, H-2B visas, L-1 visas, and J-1 visas till December 2020. This time the new rules augment the play book for two departments — Homeland Security and the <keyword id="57432" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Labour-department">Labour Department</keyword>. According to immigration law firm Berry Appleman &amp; Leiden, Homeland Security and the Labor Department are expected to publish the new rules in the federal register in “coming days.” However, the firm expects the matter to end up in court. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/malware-infiltrates-the-defenses-of-common-antivirus-softwares-like-mcafee-kaspersky-symantec-and-others/articleshow/78515377.cms">Malware infiltrates the defenses of common antivirus softwares like McAfee, Kaspersky, Symantec and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/andrea-ghez-is-the-fourth-woman-to-win-the-nobel-prize-for-physics/articleshow/78514164.cms">Andrea Ghez is the fourth woman to win the Nobel Prize for Physics — found the first signs of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tcs-expected-to-post-higher-revenue-and-margins-led-by-a-streak-of-deal-wins-over-the-last-three-months/articleshow/78511834.cms">TCS expected to post higher revenue and margins led by a streak of deal wins over the last three months</a>

New H-1B visa rules make it more expensive and harder to hire workers from India — but they may not hold ground

A federal judge has granted class certification in a lawsuit challenging the alleged pattern and practice of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services arbitrarily denying H-1B non-immigrant employment-based petitions for market research analyst positions filed by businesses in this country. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. The lawsuit - filed in federal court in the Northern District of California by the American Immigration Council, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, along with law firms Van Der Hout LLP, Joseph &amp; Hall PC, and Kuck Baxter Immigration LLC - seeks to rein in the unlawful adjudication practice the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) uses in determining whether a market research analyst job qualifies as a "specialty occupation." The lawsuit also points to the agency's misinterpretation of the Occupational Outlook Handbook-a publication of the US Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics that profiles hundreds of occupations in the United States' job market, according to a statement. The H-1B visa category allows employers to petition for highly educated foreign professionals to work in "specialty occupations" that require at least a bachelor's degree or the equivalent in a specific specialty. US employers seeking highly educated foreign professionals submit their petitions to USCIS, it said on Thursday. "This ruling is an important victory as we can now ask the court to take action, in a single lawsuit, that will benefit hundreds of American businesses and the market research analysts they sought to employ," said Leslie K. Dellon, staff attorney (business immigration) at the American Immigration Council. Research shows that H-1B workers complement US workers, fill employment gaps in many occupations, and expand job opportunities for all, Dellon said. "While this victory opens an opportunity for the entire class, I want to recognise and celebrate the courage of the named plaintiffs, and now class representatives, for stepping forward on behalf of those similarly aggrieved," said Jesse Bless, director of federal litigation at the American Immigration Lawyers Association. "We are hoping that a new administration brings more sensible business immigration policy to USCIS adjudications," said Jeff Joseph, senior partner and director of corporate immigration and employer compliance at Joseph &amp; Hall P C. "When you have to litigate about whether only one particular degree can lead to a variety of professional specialty occupations, you know that the government is just reaching for reasons to deny cases," Joseph said. "We are delighted that the court is holding USCIS accountable in how it adjudicates these H-1B visas. Hopefully, USCIS will learn the lesson the court is teaching it here-follow your own laws and regulations," said Charles H Kuck, managing partner at Kuck Baxter Immigration LLC. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/mumbais-massive-power-cut-last-month-may-have-been-the-work-of-hackers/articleshow/79318282.cms">Mumbai’s massive power cut last month may have been the work of hackers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/vodafone-idea-shares-jump-after-selling-stake-in-indus-towers-for-3760-crore/articleshow/79316662.cms">Vodafone Idea soars nearly 5% on fund infusion from Indus Towers stake sale</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/pubg-mobile-india-was-supposed-to-launch-today/articleshow/79315462.cms">PUBG Mobile India was rumoured to launch today — but there is no official update from the company</a>

You Searched For "H1 B visa" and got 11 results

US eases H-1B visa norms a day after tech giants back immigration lawsuit — NASSCOM ‘cautiously optimistic’

Prabhjote Gill

Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Indra Nooyi and even Melania Trump entered the US on the same H-1B visa that Donald Trump's suspending

Prabhjote Gill

US Immigration is denying more H1-B visas than ever before — without notice or authority

Prabhjote Gill

Nearly 80,000 Indians with H-1B visas work for TCS, Infosys and other Indian IT companies — here's a company-wise breakup

Prabhjote Gill

US President Donald Trump to suspend H1B visas, will not affect those already in the states

IANS

US looks to replace H-1B visa lottery system with a wage-based selection process that will prioritise higher salaries

Prabhjote Gill

Trump plans a 15% cap on H-1B visas — and Indians will be hurt the most

Prerna Sindwani

Despite tighter norms, the US approves 389,000 H1-B visas this year

Prerna Sindwani

Green card wait time for Indians can go to 450 years by 2030, warns a Republican Senator

IANS

New H-1B visa rules make it more expensive and harder to hire workers from India — but they may not hold ground

Prabhjote Gill

H-1B visa lawsuit against US immigration authorities now covers market research analyst positions filed by US businesses

PTI

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides