India and US Tech Companies Try To Talk Trump Out Of Visa Freeze

Last updated on February 14th, 2023 at 11:36 am

The Indian and U.S. technology companies are in dire straits with Trump having tightened the noose over many work visas. However the Indian government and US technology counterparts are trying to reason it out with US President Donald Trump, to rethink the executive order that has put a freeze on many kinds of work visas and is now undermining the whole Silicon valley business model that exists in the US.

India is one of the largest pool of talent that has been used by the American tech companies for more than a decade now. The executive order also leads to a halt on intra company transfers and study abroad programme led transfers. It is being understood that the order comes with the intent to give the American people preference for jobs over foreign talent.  The joblessness situation has been exasperated after the corona virus pandemic. However, the two factors continue to look unrelated because India has been used as a tech talent pool only because there wasn’t appropriate talent available in the US to fill in the positions.

Key tech positions are filled in through foreign talent pool which essentially requires the H-1B visa type. With the executive order being put in place, work has been pushed back by months for companies dealing using a foreign talent pool.

It is now being believed that the same talent pool might find avenues in Canada and Mexico and may not be utilized in the US. According to India techonolgy trade group Nasscom, Indian companies have been providing technological staff and services to various American sectors like hospitals, drug makers and biotechnological companies.

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Annually, India has accounted for about 70percent of the 85000 H-1B visas issued. Of these almost 90percent are secured by those with Bachelor’s degrees while the rest 10 percent goes to research and more experienced talent pool. Trump has plans to altering the current lottery systems of visas to now become one which should be awarded according to merit where applications would be prioritized over wages and experience.  One of Trump’s agenda has been redefine the whole immigration framework something he has been systematically working on throughout his presidency.