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US have doubled
up, H1-B visas from 65,000 per year to 115,000
Washington, June 04, 2006
Raj Malhotra
American companies were lobbying for raising the cap
on H1-B visas so that more tech workers are able to come and work
in the US. The US Senate has approved immigration reform bill that
included to raise the current 65,000 annual cap on H1-B visas to
115,000.
The H1-B visas, highly favored by the technology industry
are for foreign nationals with advanced degrees in science, engineering
and technology to work in the United States for up to six years.
The bill also provides that immigrants with certain advanced degrees
would be exempt from the H1-B visa cap. That quota could rise by
as much as 20 percent per year depending on labor market demands.
After the terrorist attacks of 2001, Congress slashed
H1-B visas to 65,000 from 195,000 over national security concerns
and from pressure from trade protectionists who think the jobs should
go to Americans
Now foreign nationals could get instant work permit
visas for the USA, if their NRI relatives are ready to arrange H-1B
visas from an American company for them.
During the trip of US President George Bush in Delhi
in March, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had requested more job opportunities
for the Indian professionals in America by increasing the number
of visas.
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