H-1B Visa Applications See First Fall Since 2013, Says US Agency
Applications for the coveted H-1B work visas saw a decline for the first time since 2014, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced amid a move to tighten rules that allow skilled workers, especially from India, to seek employment in the US.
Representative image.
New Delhi: Applications for the coveted H-1B work visas saw a decline for the first time since 2014, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced amid a move to tighten rules that allow skilled workers, especially from India, to seek employment in the US.
This year the agency has received 199,000 applications, a drop from 2,36,000 applications last year, a CNN report said. The number had been climbing since at least 2013, the report added.
At the start of H-1B season, the USCIS had announced that it would take a "more targeted approach" in visiting the workplaces of H-1B petitioners. And the Justice Department "cautioned" employers opting for the visas to not discriminate against American workers.
ALSO READ | Indian Students Will Continue to be in Demand in US
"In an atmosphere of uncertainty, I suppose it is not surprising that fewer petitions were filed this year," Betsy Lawrence, the director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association, told CNN.
"Some IT firms in India announced they were reducing the number of lower-experienced workers they were filing petitions for, meaning more of those jobs will stay in India rather than being relocated to the US,” she added.
The H1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows American firms to employ foreign workers in occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. It is highly popular among Indian techies and the technology companies depend on the programme to hire tens of thousands of employees each year.
ALSO READ | H-1B Visa: US Agency Says Application Limit of 65,000 Reached
Indian IT giants like TCS, Infosys and Wipro are among the major beneficiaries of H-1B visas.
The annual cap on H-1B visas is 85,000, of which 20,000 are reserved for Master's degree holders.
@media only screen and (max-width:740px) {
.quote-box{font-size:18px; line-height:30px; color:#505050; margin-top:30px; padding:22px 20px 20px 70px; position:relative; font-style:italic; font-weight:bold}
.special-text{font-size:24px; line-height:32px; color:#505050; margin:20px 40px 20px 20px; border-left:8px solid #ee1b24; padding:10px 10px 10px 15px; font-style:italic; font-weight:bold}
.quote-box img{width:60px; left:6px}
.quote-box .quote-nam{font-size:16px; color:#5f5f5f; padding-top:30px; text-align:right; font-weight:normal}
.quote-box .quote-nam span{font-weight:bold; color:#ee1b24}
}
Get the best of News18 delivered to your inbox - subscribe to News18 Daybreak. Follow News18.com on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, TikTok and on YouTube, and stay in the know with what's happening in the world around you – in real time.
- Monday 25 November , 2019 How Ajit Pawar May Have Changed Maharashtra’s Political Dynamics | Crux+
- Saturday 09 November , 2019 Launch of Kartarpur Corridor Amidst Indo-Pak Strife | Crux+
- Wednesday 06 November , 2019 Babri Masjid-Ram Mandir Case History | Rare Interviews | Crux Files
- Friday 08 November , 2019 LK Advani: The Architect of Hindutva Politics | Rare Interviews
Live TV
Recommended For You
Bigg Boss 13: When I Met Rashami She Was On Road With No Money, Says Arhaan Khan
'Most Famous Refugee Family': Church Nativity Scene Shows Jesus, Mary & Joseph as Caged Immigrants
Sanjay Kapoor Shares Throwback Picture on His 21st Wedding Anniversary with Maheep
India vs West Indies | Virat Kohli Screamer Lights Up Gloomy Day for Fielders
'A Huge Day' - Pakistan Welcome Sri Lanka for First Test Tour Since 2009 Terror Attack