Foreign Minister raises issue of H-1B visa to US

New delhi date. October 5, 2019, Saturday

India has cautiously raised the issue of the H-1B visa program for high-skilled professionals to the White House for discussion. External Affairs Minister Jayashankar has raised the issue without naming the H-1B visa program, as Trump has imposed several restrictions on the H-1B visa program that is most beneficial for Indian companies and IT professionals since coming to power.

Foreign Minister S. Jayashankar raised the issue of H-1B visas at a meeting with Acting Secretary of Homeland Security this week, Kevin McAllen, along with the interests of legal immigrants and thousands of Indian students enrolled in American colleges.

Jayashankar wrote in a tweet that McAleenan had discussed 'promoting legal travel, ensuring talent flow and protecting the interests of students'. Although neither party has divulged further details, sources related to the incident say that the term 'Talent Flow' was used in connection with the H-1B visa program.

Under the program, the United States approves a total of 85,000 visas for three years for foreign professionals required for American companies, with 70 percent of the H-1B visas obtaining Indian professionals.

Microsoft, Facebook and Google, small American companies and Indian IT companies Infosys, TCS, Wipro and Mahindra's US subsidiaries employ Indian professionals under H-1B visas.

However, Trump has put several restrictions on the H-1B visa program under the 'Buy American, Higher American' policy since coming to power. At the time of the presidential election, Trump blamed the H-1B visa program for the unemployment of talented American citizens.