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<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>Indian IT stocks are in the green as markets open in India with <keyword id="99719" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Joe-Biden">Joe Biden</keyword> coming out ahead in the US Presidential Election. </li><li>A Biden victory may bode well for the likes of <keyword id="6357585" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-consultancy-services">Tata Consultancy Services</keyword> (TCS), Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Tech Mahindra with his promise to reverse Trump’s suspension of H-1B visas.</li><li>Overall, analysts expect trade tensions between the two countries to subside with more favourable policies likely in the coming the future.</li></ul>Indian IT stocks are on fire as the <keyword id="5901225" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="2020-US-Presidential-election">2020 US Presidential Election</keyword> comes to an end, and Joe Biden steers ahead as the President-elect. For them, the victory of democratic nominee Joe Biden over the incumbent Donald Trump could spell some good news along the horizon. With Biden at the helm of the US, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/trump-vs-biden-impact-of-us-elections-on-india-sensex-nifty-trade-stock-market/articleshow/79021347.cms">analysts expect</a> that trade tensions between the US and India will ease up more favourable policies coming into play. Moreover, one of his campaign promises specifically addresses the easing up of H-1B visa regulations. Indian IT stocks are gaining ground <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.98958pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Company </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.98958pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Change in share price </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.98958pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Wipro </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.98958pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1.81% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.98958pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Infosys </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.98958pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2.73% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.98958pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.98958pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2.03% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.98958pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">HCL Technologies </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.98958pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.98958pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#ffffff;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1.22% </td></tr></tbody></table>Source: NSE as of 9:35 am Biden’s H-1B visa promise Moe Vela, former advisor to Biden during his vice presidency days with Barack Obama, believes that Trump’s ban on H-1B visas is just another example of racism and discrimination. “They’re knowledge workers, and they’re computer-based workers,” he told Business Insider in June. Given those parameters, a ban on H-1B visas may keep them from entering the US, but they can still keep their jobs and work just as well from other countries. Just last week, the US Department of Homeland Security issued a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/us-looks-to-replace-h-1b-visa-lottery-system-with-a-wage-based-selection-process-that-will-prioritise-higher-salaries/articleshow/78951033.cms">notice proposing to replace the current H-1B lottery allotment system</a> with a wage-based selection process that will prioritise higher salaries. While that may admittedly be good for employees looking to get hired a fair way, it also makes it more expensive for countries like India to send their workforce abroad for projects. This is why it's significant that one of Biden’s promises includes reforming the H-1B visa system. "High skilled temporary visas should not be used to disincentivize recruiting workers already in the U.S. for in-demand occupations,” says his <a href="https://joebiden.com/immigration/">agenda on immigration</a>. Biden’s plans include supporting the expansion of the number of high-skilled visas and eliminating the limits on employment-based visas by country, which create unacceptably long backlogs. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/hyperloop-pod-carries-two-humans-through-a-tube-at-over-160-kmph-for-the-first-time-ever/articleshow/79121765.cms">Hyperloop pod carries two humans through a tube at over 160 kmph for the first time ever</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/top-cyber-espionage-groups-that-have-india-in-their-crosshairs/slidelist/79120867.cms">Top cyber espionage groups that have India in their crosshairs</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/bigbasket-the-e-grocery-startup-which-tata-group-is-eyeing-admits-a-data-breach-of-over-20-million-users/articleshow/79122791.cms">BigBasket, the e-grocery startup which Tata Group is eyeing, admits a data breach of over 20 million users</a>

Indian IT stocks are surging with Joe Biden's win in the 2020 US Presidential Election

<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 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>The Indian IT companies — <keyword id="28721" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cognizant">Cognizant</keyword>, <keyword id="10863" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="CapGemini">Capgemini</keyword>, Accenture, Wipro and <keyword id="6354512" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Infosys">Infosys</keyword> — faced over 30% visa rejections during the first three quarters of 2020 fiscal, shows a survey by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP). </li><li>With most of its workforce in India, Cognizant witnessed maximum denial rate at 60%.</li><li>NFAP reported a fourfold increase in the US visa rejections as compared to 2015 fiscal — at 24%. </li></ul>Under the Trump administration, increasing rejection rates for <keyword id="931341" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="H1-B-visas">H1-B visas</keyword> is throwing up hurdles, especially for the IT majors. The Indian IT companies — Cognizant, Capgemini, Accenture, Wipro and Infosys — faced <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/business/story/us-makes-getting-h-1b-visa-harder-indian-techies-hit-1614037-2019-10-30">over 30% visa rejections</a> during the first three quarters of 2020 fiscal, shows a survey by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP). Cognizant witnessed maximum denial rate at 60%. In 2018, Cognizant faced nearly 3,548 rejections for work visas extension, which is so far the highest for any company hiring foreign employees. “The denial rates for H-1B petitions have increased because USCIS has changed the standards for approval without new regulations or Congress passing a new law,” Stuart Anderson, executive director of NFAP <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/visa-and-immigration/a-fourth-of-all-new-h-1b-visa-requests-rejected/articleshow/71812876.cms">told</a> ET. The study data is in contrast with the data by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which said that the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/despite-tighter-norms-the-us-approves-389000-h1-b-visas-this-year/articleshow/71574716.cms">US approved more H1-B visas</a> this year — both entry level and work visa extensions. It said that it extended over 389,000 visas in 2019 fiscal — higher than 335,000 visas approved last year. NFAP data says that US visa rejections grew from 6% in 2015 to 24% in 2019. Indian IT employees account for over 70% of the H1-B visas. Adding to this, the US also announced that it will prefer professionals with a US master's degree when it comes to extending visas. Last year, Deloitte Consulting and Apple received the most number of H1-B visas, while only HCL from India made it to the top 10 list with a total of 5,085 certifications in the US, a<a href="https://trak.in/tags/business/2019/02/16/deloitte-apple-grab-most-number-of-h1b-visas-hcl-only-indian-company-in-top-10-list/">ccording to</a> data with the US Department of Labour. H1-B work visas are initially provided for three years — but can be extended for a similar term later. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/despite-tighter-norms-the-us-approves-389000-h1-b-visas-this-year/articleshow/71574716.cms">Despite tighter norms, the US approves 389,000 H1-B visas this year</a> <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>

H-1B visa rejection rates rise sharply — 30% of Cognizant, Capgemini, Accenture, Wipro and Infosys applications denied

<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>New <keyword id="2896546" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="H1-B-visa-rules">H1-B visa rules</keyword> have been an unwelcome change for Indian IT firms with new visas as well as renewals, according to data by Centre for Immigration Studies. </li><li>Homegrown IT majors TCS and <keyword id="6354512" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Infosys">Infosys</keyword> faced maximum rejections for extension of the work work visas. </li><li>According to the US Department of Labour, Deloitte Consulting and Apple received the maximum work permits. </li><li>Six Indian IT outsourcing companies — TCS, Infosys, Wipro, <keyword id="28721" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cognizant">Cognizant</keyword>, HCL and US arm of Tech Mahindra — got only 2,145 work permits, which was 16% of total work visas bagged by companies.</li></ul>Under the Trump administration, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/h-1b-visa-revised-rules-go-into-effect-on-april-1-favouring-advanced-degree-applicants/articleshow/67768709.cms">new H1-B visa rules</a> have brought new challenges for applicants of these temporary work visas, heavily used by Indian IT majors. Now, it appears that renewal of these work visas has also thrown up hurdles, particularly hurting Indian IT majors. According to the Centre for Immigration Studies, a US-based think tank, top IT firms Tata Consultancy Services (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 in 2018. H1-B work visas are initially provided for three years — but can be extended for a similar term later. With most of its workforce in India, Cognizant witnessed nearly 3,548 rejections for extension of these work visas in the year, which is so far the highest for any company hiring foreign employees. While the homegrown ITs Infosys and TCS saw 2,042 and 1,744 rejections, respectively, said the report. Analysing a broader range of top 30 IT companies, the analysis also found that the six major outsourcing companies — TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant, HCL and US arm of Tech Mahindra — constitute nearly two-third of extensions for work visas. The six outsourcing companies got only 2,145 work permits, which is 16% of total work visas bagged by all companies. On the flipside, several US-based technology companies — Microsoft, Amazon and Apple-- were able to increase their foreign work staff via the new H1-B rules, showing the new regulation in fact benefitted the American companies, noted the report. A<a href="https://trak.in/tags/business/2019/02/16/deloitte-apple-grab-most-number-of-h1b-visas-hcl-only-indian-company-in-top-10-list/">ccording to</a> data with the the US Department of Labour, Deloitte Consulting and Apple received the most number of H1-B visas, while only HCL from India made it to the top 10 list with a total of 5,085 certifications in US. However, many legal experts point that Indian ITs are the largest consumers of H1-B visa. But recent moves by the US government point to growing protectionism. Indian IT companies have also faced backlash by locals for allegedly discriminating against American workers. On Thursday, alleging discrimination at workplace, a US employee filed a <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/ites/its-cognizants-turn-to-face-us-lawsuit-alleging-discrimination/articleshow/68296041.cms">lawsuit</a> against Cognizant for calling an American a ‘diversity candidate.’ “Protectionism happens without making any policy changes to favour their own companies. This slant is not unusual. This has happened under President Barack Obama, not just under Donald Trump,” ET<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/visa-and-immigration/h-1b-extension-rejections-rob-indian-it-firms-of-visa-power/articleshow/68312136.cms"> reported</a> citing Sid Pai, founder of Siana Capital, who has led outsourcing deals of over $ 20 billion in the past. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/h-1b-visa-revised-rules-go-into-effect-on-april-1-favouring-advanced-degree-applicants/articleshow/67768709.cms">New H-1B rules to go into effect on April 1, visas for advanced degree holders expected to jump 16%</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/trump-may-have-an-ugly-surprise-for-h-1b-applicants-and-indian-it-companies/articleshow/67552613.cms">Trump may have an ugly surprise for H-1B visa applicants</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indians-seeking-uk-visa-will-now-have-to-shell-out-a-lot-more/articleshow/67435527.cms">Indians seeking UK visa will now have to shell out a lot more</a>

New H1-B rules bring more rejections on work visa renewals

<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. 
 
 
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 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%. 
 
 
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 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

Amid rising concerns over H1-B visa, IT stocks fell around 4% as the US Congress introduced bill backing key changes in the H-1B Visa programme. 
 On market bellwether Bombay Stock Exchange (<keyword id="35140" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSE">BSE</keyword>), shares of Infosys lost 2.50%, TCS went down by 2.18% and Wipro dipped 2.18%. 
 
These three stocks were the biggest laggards on the benchmark Sensex that ended 119.01 points lower at 26,759.23. 
 
Among others, shares of Tech Mahindra slipped 3.80 per cent, Hexaware Technologies went down by 3.73 per cent, HCL Tech (3.55 per cent) and Mphasis (2.20 per cent). 
 
The BSE IT index fell by 2.54 per cent to end at 9,880.61. 
 
The top four companies - TCS, Infosys, Wipro and HCL Tech - together lost over Rs 22,000 crore in market valuation. 
 
"Stocks continued the week-long surge, but with Q3 figures expected to flow in shortly, and with IT stocks bogged down by US visa restriction fears, profit-booking gained traction as the day drew to a close," said Anand James, chief market strategist, Geojit BNP Paribas Financial Services Ltd. 
 
A bill backing key changes in the H-1B visa programme has been re-introduced in the US Congress by two lawmakers who claim that it will help crack down on the work visa abuse. 
 
The 'Protect and Grow American Jobs Act' makes important changes to the eligibility requirements for H-1B Visa exemptions was re-introduced by Republican Darrell Issa and Scott Peters - both from California. 
 
The bill, among other things, increase the minimum salary of H-1B visa to $100,000 per annum and eliminates the Masters Degree exemption. 
 
The bill comes after a number of companies - Disney, SoCal Edison and others - have come under fire for abusing the H1-B Visa programme to replace American workers with foreign workers.

Top 4 IT companies lose over Rs 22,000 crore in market valuation over H1-B visa concerns

<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

<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>

You Searched For "hcl h1b visa 2020" and got 12 results

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

Indian IT stocks are surging with Joe Biden's win in the 2020 US Presidential Election

Prabhjote Gill

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

IANS

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

Prabhjote Gill

H-1B visa rejection rates rise sharply — 30% of Cognizant, Capgemini, Accenture, Wipro and Infosys applications denied

Prerna Sindwani

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

New H1-B rules bring more rejections on work visa renewals

BI India Bureau

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

Prabhjote Gill

Top 4 IT companies lose over Rs 22,000 crore in market valuation over H1-B visa concerns

BI India Bureau

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

Prabhjote Gill

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

Prabhjote Gill

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