Posted on 02/21/2017 9:14:26 PM PST by Jyotishi
HIGHLIGHTS
o The PM referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the US economy and society
o He urged developing a reflective, balanced and far-sighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals
o As of now, Indian professionals are granted a large number of visas to stay in US for 6 years
NEW DELHI/WASHINGTON: PM Narendra Modi has urged the US to take a "reflective, balanced and far-sighted" perspective on the movement of skilled professionals, indicating India's discomfort with the Trump administration's intent to curb H-1B visas.
The PM raised the issue during his interaction with US Congress members on Tuesday and he suggested that restrictions on professionals would be an unwelcome step. This is the first time that Modi's concerns in this case have been made public and point to a divergence with one of President Donald Trump's much-discussed campaign promises.
PM hails Indians' role in enriching US economy
The PM said Indian professionals contributed to the US economy and were law-abiding and socially integrated residents, a statement that underlines that H-1B visas are not a one-way street where only the visitors benefit.
A PMO statement said Modi "shared his perspective on areas where both countries can work even more closely, including in facilitating greater people-to-people linkages that have over the years helped contribute to each other's prosperity. In this context, the Prime Minister referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society. He urged developing a reflective, balanced and far-sighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals".
As of now, Indian professionals are granted a large number of the visas that allow residence in the US for six years. Indian businesses, particularly in the technology sector, are likely to be affected by the sentiment that H1B visas are "abused" and often become a path to citizenship in the US. Some US commentators, however, feel the Trump administration sees companies, rather than the Indian government, responsible for such misuse, making differences more resolvable.
The PM's intervention came even as a high-level team under the aegis of Nasscom, the National Association of Software and Services Companies, arrived in Washington DC to lobby with the administration and Congress against a tighter visa regime for guest workers that is seen as adversely impacting India. The Nasscom delegation is armed with studies and talking points showing Indian companies having generated more than 4,00,000 jobs in the US.
Modi has already had two conversations with Trump, he told the visiting US lawmakers, saying he was encouraged by the "shared commitment to further strengthen ties that have grown deeper in the last two and a half years". It was significant that Modi addressed the US Congress during his visit in 2016 and his remarks were well received.
Last week, Modi met a group of British parliamentarians, where again visas, particularly for students and skilled persons, also formed a significant part of the conversation.
During their visit from February 20-25, the American lawmakers, travelling in two groups, are scheduled to have a wide range of meetings with top government officials, politicians, members of think-tanks and non-governmental organisations.
One group consists of 19 members while the second has eight. One of them is led by Bob Goodlatte, chairman of the powerful House judiciary committee, which is visiting India from February 20 to 23. The Republican leaders include Congressman George Holding, co-chair of the India Caucus, Jason Smit and Dave Trott. The Democrats include Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressmen Hank Johnson, David Ciciline and Henry Cuellar.
Indian professionals and students graduating from US universities claim more than 50% of the 65,000 plus 20,000 H1B visas and L1 intra-company transfer visas, helping generate nearly $ 100 billion -- 65% of the country's $155 billion annual revenues -- from its infotech sector alone. That number will take a hit if Washington pares down the guest worker programme, as both the administration and Congress have indicated.
Indian skilled professionals, many of whom became US permanent residents and citizens through the guest worker route, have founded scores of companies in America and generated tens of thousands of jobs and billions in revenues in the nearly 25 years since the guest worker programme began.
The US president's wife, Melania Trump, was herself an H1B visa recipient (as a model) before she became a permanent resident and citizen, as was Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who called on Modi separately on Tuesday.
Gnish can hand ‘em six crying towels.
H1B is our problem. the return of unwanted Indian workers is their problem. Send ALL INDIAN WORKERS BACK TO INDIA NOW!
Let high IQ, non muzzie, Indians immigrate in large numbers compared to most others.
“The Democrats include Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressmen Hank Johnson, David Ciciline and Henry Cuellar.”
Quite the brain trust there. Hahahahahaha
I give up.
Why should the leader of a foreign country have ANY input into who will live in ours?
And while we’re on the subject:
“Indian professionals and students graduating from US universities claim more than 50% of the 65,000 plus 20,000 H1B visas and L1 intra-company transfer visas”
50%? So the rest of the world - the other 5 billion- somehow don’t count?
And the lives and jobs of American citizens don’t count? What the government elected by those people should care about is....when can India’s people take their jobs from them?
"US India"...sounds like an airline....Shouldn't there be a comma or something there?
#FakeGrammar #FakeStyle
Hello, Dell support here. My name is Gregory. How can I help you Miss Norenda?
“Do you mind if I put you on hold for a few years.”
I guess Modi’s thinking “Make India Great Again!” It’s a clash of the “Makes”.
Yep
Limiting H1Bs will help shore up salaries for American tech workers and keep them employed - H1Bs are being used to drive down salaries for US tech workers. And limiting H1Bs will encourage Indian/Chinese engineers to remain in their home countries and put their educations to work helping their economies. India’s prime minister should want well-educated Indians from good Indian universities - educated on India’s dime - to become taxpayers and contributors to India’s economy.
Reminds me of the insistence from the left and other riff raff that immigrants are good for the American economy.
If they’re that good, why don’t they stay home and be good for their own country’s economy?
As such, employers should be willing, nay, eager to pay a premium salary for these critical skills.
Make it a legal requirement that these guest workers who bring crucial skills to America be fairly paid, say at least a 25% premium over the prevailing wage a less skilled American would receive for doing the same job.
It's only fair!
Maybe even calling the new law “minimum wages for H-1Bs”
Steal their language, “a fair minimum wage for immigrants”, God knows they’ve stolen some much of our language!
Make them come out against a minimum wage!
Make the speak out against fairness!
I disagree.
Set an absolutely inflexible minimum salary - $200,000 - and let the whole world compete for those jobs.
Over $200K? Welcome to America. Stay as long as you like.
Less than $200K. Thanks for your hard work. Go home!
The alleged minimum salary in the new H-1B legislation is completely bogus.
There are pages and pages of minimum salary exemptions!
If these people were so desirable to have in one’s country, India’s PM would want them back.
Indians, although not like Muslims, do not share America’s cultural and religious heritage.
For the most part their dress, customs, habits, language (where the Queen’s English is massacred by every syllable they pronounce) , and Hinduism are incompatible with western civilization. Close the door on H1B visas and send the Indians and Chinese back to where they came from.
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