A media report says that US President Donald Trump is considering suspending a number of employment visas including the H-1B, most sought-after among Indian IT professionals, in view of the massive unemployment in America due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that the proposed suspension could extend into the government’s new fiscal year beginning October 1, when many new visas are issued.
The Daily reported, “That could bar any new H-1B holder outside the country from coming to work until the suspension is lifted, though visa holders already in the country are unlikely to be affected
H-1B is the most coveted foreign work visas for technology professionals from India. This decision by the Trump administration is likely to have an adverse impact on thousands of Indian IT professionals. Already a large number of Indians on the H-1B visas have lost their jobs and are headed back home during the coronavirus pandemic.
The White House has not made any final decision on this yet and is still considering proposals. White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement, “The administration is currently evaluating a wide range of options, formulated by career experts, to protect American workers and job seekers especially disadvantaged and underserved citizens, but no decisions of any kind have been made.
The Financial Daily reported that in addition to the H-1B visas, the suspension could apply to the H-2B visa for short-term seasonal workers, the J-1 visa for short-term workers including camp counsellors and au pairs and the L-1 visa for internal company transfers.
Donohue sends letter to Trump
US Chambers of Commerce CEO Thomas Donohue wrote in a letter to Trump, “As the economy rebounds, American businesses will need assurances that they can meet all their workforce needs. To that end, it is crucial that they have access to talent both domestically and from around the world.”
He added, “Policies that would, for example, impose wide-ranging bans on the entry of non-immigrant workers or impose burdensome new regulatory requirements on businesses that employ foreign nationals would undermine that access to talent and in the process, undercut our economy’s ability to grow and create jobs.
