Bill to give priority to foreign youths studying in US on H-1B visas introduced in Parliament

Washington, Saturday, May 23, 2020

US lawmakers have introduced a bill in the US House of Representatives with major amendments to the H-1B work visa, including giving priority to the best and brightest educated youth in the United States.

The H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows American companies to employ foreign workers in certain occupations. US-based companies employ thousands of people from India and China under this visa every year.

On April 1, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it had received 4,000 applications for 5,000 US H-1B visas. Out of which 3% applications have been made from India. India ranks second after China in the number of foreign students studying in the United States. More than two lakh Indian students are currently studying in the United States.

The H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act has been introduced in the House of Representatives and the Senate. The new bill stipulates that the best and brightest students in the United States should be given priority in issuing H-1B visas.

The bill was introduced in the Senate by Senators Chuck Grassley and Dick Derby. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Bill Pascrell, Paul Gosser, Roe Khanna, Frank Pellon and Lance Goden.

Meanwhile, Indian-origin MP Roe Khanna said that American immigrants coming to the country have new ideas and they are of great benefit to the country's economy. They have an important role to play in the development of the country.

More than 200 groups wrote letters to Trump to continue with skilled worker visas

More than 200 US companies, business associations and higher education groups have written a letter to US President Donald Trump warning that if foreign skilled workers are not allowed to come to the US even for a short period of time, an unusual situation will arise and the US economy will suffer. Foreign workers have been urged not to make the decision to stop coming to the United States. The US president is considering temporarily halting the influx of foreign skilled workers into the country. However the proposal is being widely opposed.