WASHINGTON: The US is considering new regulations aimed at preventing theextension of H-1B visas, predominantly used by Indian IT professionals, aspart of president Donald Trump’s “Buy American, Hire American” initiative,a media report has said.
The move could directly stop hundreds of thousands of foreign workers fromkeeping their H-1B visas while their green card applications are pending.
The proposal, which is being shared between the Department of HomelandSecurity Department (DHS) heads, is part of Mr Trump’s “Buy American, HireAmerican” initiative promised during the 2016 campaign, US-based newsagency McClatchy’s DC Bureau reported.
It aims to impose new restrictions to prevent abuse and misuse of H-1Bvisas, besides ending the provision of granting extension for those whoalready have a green card.
“The act currently allows the administration to extend the H-1B visas forthousands of immigrants, predominantly Indian immigrants, beyond theallowed two three-year terms if a green card is pending,” the report said.
“The idea is to create a sort of ‘self- deportation’ of hundreds ofthousands of Indian tech workers in the United States to open up those jobsfor Americans,” it said, quoting a source briefed by Homeland Securityofficials.
“The agency is considering a number of policy and regulatory changes tocarry out the President’s Buy American, Hire American Executive Order,including a thorough review of employment-based visa programmes,” saidJonathan Withington, chief of media relations for United States Citizenshipand Immigration Services (USCIS).
The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employforeign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical ortechnical expertise.
It is typically issued for three to six years to employers to hire aforeign worker. But H-1B holders who have begun the green card process canoften renew their work visas indefinitely.
The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands ofemployees each year from countries like India and China.
The proposed changes would have a dramatic effect particularly on Indianvisa holders considering more than half of all H-1B visas have been awardedto Indian nationals, the report said, quoting the Pew Research Centerreport.
“This would be a major catastrophic development as many people have beenwaiting in line for green cards for over a decade, have US citizenchildren, own a home,” said Leon Fresco, who served as a deputy assistantattorney general for the Justice Department in the Obama administration whonow represent H-1B workers.