H-1B Tech companies shall not be allowed to hire foreign workers at the expense of American jobs

ALERT: Starting April 3, 2017, USCIS will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B petitions. This suspension may last up to 6 months. We will notify the public before resuming premium processing for H-1B petitions. While premium processing is suspended, we will reject any Form I-907 filed with an H-1B petition. If the petitioner submits one combined check for both the Form I-907 and Form I-129 H-1B fees, we will have to reject both forms. Read more here: USCIS Will Temporarily Suspend Premium Processing for All H-1B Petitions

The H-1B Program

The H-1B program allows companies in the United States to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations that require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and a bachelor’s degree or higher in the specific specialty, or its equivalent. H-1B specialty occupations may include fields such as science, engineering and information technology. For more information about the H-1B program, visit our H-1B Specialty Occupations Web page.

USCIS just released a press note indicating that H1B Visa 2018 Cap is reached and they have received enough petitions for both regular and Masters quota.

On Wednesday, April 05, 2017, the Department of Labor announced plans to crack down on the program and has outlined new methods for weeding out fraudulent applications and abuse. Blame is generally directed at the companies and politicians, not the workers.

It says it will work with federal agencies to investigate and prosecute violators, and it aims to change aspects of the Labor Condition Application, a required part of the H-1B application process that specifies the working conditions and proposed wages. Also, for the first time, the government has set up a formal email address that lets workers submit tips and report fraud.

It has drawn the criticism of President Trump, however, who claims that it has allowed U.S. companies to hire foreign workers at the expense of American jobs.

Employers are likely to face increased scrutiny and paperwork requirements as a result of this directive. Many tech companies rely on the ability to secure H-1Bs, and have spent millions lobbying Congress to raise its annual cap.

H1B visas could be a source of tension in Indo-US ties: Nisha Desai Biswal

Washington: On April 11, 2017, livemint wrote: “Demonising” the H1B work visa issue could be a “source of tension” in Indo-US ties, a former top diplomat under the Obama administration has said, calling for a “rational discourse” on the topic that could affect the lives of thousands of Indians. “The issue of H1B and the rhetoric that has been flying around all of that, I think, is going to be a source of tension,” former US assistant secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal told PTI. “But we can also all agree that there have been some overuses, misuses and abuses of this program,” she said, adding some revisions being contemplated would be helpful in trying to ensure that the program is used as intended and not misused.

Americans consider H1B program is a economic murder.... IT Indian students, UCLA

NRIpress.club representative contacted five IT Indian students at The University of California, Los Angeles to evaluate THE HIB program reaction in American students. After 10 days study, they said:

· Mostly American parents feel that American kid coming out of school with a mountain of debt being forced to compete on a very uneven and unjust playing field.

· American students or computer programmers are forced to go in other fields because they are "sick of watching American workers be replaced by foreigners.”

· IT companies won't hire people over forty EVEN they are highly skilled people and later on claim a shortage. Do you really believe this such a great lie to make fool Americans?

Most of IT American workers (including NRI IT workers) consider it economic murder because H1B program is so pervasive and so detrimental to us.

Group of IT workers in California brought a lawsuit brought against the federal government, who argue that the spousal visas hurt American workers.

In US-IT profession, the annual salaries have gone down by 10-20 thousand dollars per year and this reduction is directly tied to the overabundance with H1B visa workers

In some States, like Michigan and Ohio, they say,” Trump is for the USA and Obama was trying to please- multinational corporations. The Obama administration had extended work privileges to spouses of foreign workers- some economists say the policy is unfair. Many American tech companies have forced American employees to train their H1B replacement before they are fired. This disgraceful practice by IT companies made American very angry who spent millions lobbying Congress to hire HIB workers

Visa curbs on Indians will also hurt US: Sushma

New Delhi, March 30 (IANS) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday said if the US puts restrictions on H1B visas, immigration or business outsourcing, it will not just hurt Indians but will be bad for the US too.

"We are not just talking with the US authorities (on H-1B visas and related issues), we are talking with logic and concrete statistics," Swaraj told the Rajya Sabha during the Question Hour.

"This is a mutually beneficial partnership, and we have told them (the US) that if you snap these ties, it will not hurt us alone, it will also hurt you," she said.

She said that the Indian information technology (IT) companies operating in the US are generating jobs there and contributing to the US exchequer.

"We have told them that it is not true that Indians are stealing their jobs. On the contrary, Indian companies in US are generating employment for the Americans. So far, Indian companies have given direct employment to 1.56 lakh Americans and supportive jobs to 4.11 lakh," she said.

She added that between 2011 and 2015, the Indian companies have made an investment of $2 billion, paid taxes worth $20 billion and Indian workers have contributed $7 billion to the social security scheme.

Besides, she added, the American companies in India are earning $27.5 billion annually.

The Minister informed the House that the Foreign Secretary and the Commerce Secretary visited the US between February 28 and March 3 this year and held meetings with cabinet ministers and senior functionaries of the new US administration as well as with the Congressional leadership.

"We have emphasized that Indian skilled professionals have contributed to the growth and development of the US economy and have helped the US retain its competitive edge and innovation advantage," she said.

Swaraj said that the Trump administration has so far not announced any comprehensive policy changes impacting non-immigrant work visa programmes.

"There are 13 bills for consideration before the US Congress. Four of them are about H1B visas, six bills pertain to outsourcing business to India and three bills are about immigration. But none of them has been passed so far.

"The government of India is closely monitoring the developments that may have a bearing upon the movement of Indian workers and professionals to the US. We remain in active dialogue with the US administration and the US Congress at senior levels to safeguard the interests of Indian workers and professionals," she said.

No need to worry about H1B visa issue for now: Sushma

New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday said there was no reason to worry about the curbs on H1B visas or the job security of Indian IT professionals working in the US for the time being as the Indian government is in talks with the US regarding this.

"Currently there are four bills in the US Congress about curbs on H1B visas. We are engaged (in a dialogue) with the US at very high level regarding this... We are making all efforts (through diplomatic channels) to ensure these bills are not passed," Sushma said in the Rajya Sabha.

"So there is no reason to worry about it as of now," she added.

The Minister pointed out that even before Donald Trump became President, there had been a "flip-flop" in the H1B visa policy by the US.

"In 1990 when H1B visas were first introduced, the cap was 65,000. In 2000 it was raised to 1,95,000 for three years. In 2004 the number of these visas was again reversed to 65,000 by the US. So there has been a flip-flop on this policy even before Donald Trump government," she said.

The Minister also informed the house that the visa facility extended to the spouse of the Indian professionals has not been withdrawn by the US so far.

On illegal migrants, Sushma said that the US authorities have given a list of 271 persons who they have identified for deportation.

"We have asked for more details about these 271 persons. Once we check their antecedents and find they are actually Indian citizens, we'll provide them travel documents back to India so that they are not put behind bars by US authorities," she said.

She said India will once again raise the issue of totalisation once "the jobs of Indian IT professionals are ensured to be secure".