Posted on 03/28/2003 8:50:45 AM PST by nwrep
| Friday March 28, 5:23 PM
Backlash against Indian IT professionals on upswingBy Imran Qureshi, Indo-Asian News Service
Bangalore, Mar 28 (IANS) The backlash against Indian information technology (IT) professionals working abroad is on the upswing, industry officials aver, pointing to the action by Dutch authorities against an Indian software developer. "This is clearly a backlash against the Indians. The Indians have come under the spotlight after growing unemployment and the downturn of economies in Europe now," contended the CEO of a software company. Senthil Kumar, CEO of i-Flex's Dutch subsidiary, was detained in London on Holland's request Tuesday for alleged visa fraud. At least 13 Indians working for i-Flex in the Netherlands were detained for questioning Wednesday and released. Earlier this month, Indian IT professionals were rounded up in Kuala Lumpur during a police crackdown on illegal immigrants. They were released after the Indian government protested the move. Earlier, the Indian CEO of an IT major was held in Jakarta over an alleged business dispute. He too was released after New Delhi intervened. At the same time, industry officials would not comment on whether i-Flex had violated visa norms. "There could be some violation or there could not be any violation. But the point that gets underlined in this episode, coming after Indonesia, Malaysia and the New Jersey legislation against Indian BPOs, is that Indians need to be more than careful when doing business abroad," said a top official of another big company. The one point being debated is whether Indian companies can take software professionals on a business visa and get them to perform system integration work onsite for their growing number of customers abroad, particularly in Europe. Several companies, big and small, are alleged to have followed this pattern in the past, be it Europe or the U.S., said an industry official. "Some governments may have even overlooked this aspect in the last few years because they did not have the skill sets that Indians had," the official added. "Now that unemployment is hitting them hard, it should be seen as an effort by those governments to safeguard their own interests. Whether it is by design or otherwise is difficult to say now. The backlash is truly in," said the human resources official of a mid-sized company. "What all this means is that the more we (Indians) gain world recognition, the greater is the onus on us to be erring on the side of caution and be on the right side of the law. That is the bottom line. There is no other way out of facing this backlash," a senior official of a big company said. "The impact of all this is bound to be felt on business sooner than later. The business model itself may change. IT companies cannot begin project work in, say, two weeks' time at their customer's offices," said a finance officer of a mid-sized services company. Indian IT professionals are seen "with envy not only because their skills are in demand but also because the Indian software industry has grown 28 percent in a year of slowdown, 2000-01, when companies abroad have not shown such growth," said a technology head of a company.
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I would say all governments "national interests" would be to have companies in there country hiring the best and brightest regardless of where they come from. It seems apparent to me that as the world is growing increasing more socialist (as is evidence by the reaction to the US and this war) I've been seeing more and more of these 'us vs. them' stories - usually based around race.
No, we'll end up with more law, pilitical science and finance majors...the same professions that do little more than complicate life for the rest of us and add NOTHING to the real growth of the economy.
The problem is, the H1-B visa program is predicated upon the claim that we don't have enough IT workers in this country. That might have been true in 1996, but it sure ain't true now. We don't need any more tech workers coming over until tech turns back up.
If we didn't "need" any more Tech workers they wouldn't be coming over here because there wouldn't be any jobs - If they are getting jobs aparrently there is 'some kind of need.' Now a lot of the tech workers may not like that it is driving down the demand for there labor, but that's the breaks - welcome to the global economy.
There are jobs, all right - jobs where employers wish to push out AMERICAN workers and replace them with foreign workers willing to work for a lot less.
- If they are getting jobs aparrently there is 'some kind of need.' Now a lot of the tech workers may not like that it is driving down the demand for there labor, but that's the breaks - welcome to the global economy.
Kiss my rump - I have no problem competing with workers in OTHER countries for business - but I am not standing pat while our government lies that we need more workers because there is a shortage, and then allows companies to bring them over here, taking away a primary competitive advantage that I have by being in this country. You may think there's nothing wrong with an America where living standards are brought down to a third-world level - but I don't.
Wages are determined the same way prices are and they are intimately linked - by supply and demand. What your complaining about is the fact that there is an excess of tech workers driving down the market value of what you do. Well, that is true - that is exactly what is happening. Where I differ with you is your solution to the problem.
By allowing in tech workers from India means lower wage rates but it also means lower prices for the consumer (people like me). What your asking is for the government to obstruct the flow of labor to help you secure a higher rate of pay, not because of market factors but because of government intervention. What does this mean for the consumer? Higher prices. You're asking consumers like me to take it in the pocket book so you can exercise your "primary competitive advantage" which is that you happen to have been born in the United States?
Your "primary competitive advantage" is the same as mine and the guy from India, to work harder and increase our skills or else look for work in a higher paying field - but don't look for the government to secure your misguided notion of "competitive advantage."
It's economics 101 my friend. Good Luck.
Great. So we'll all have cheap software and live in trailer homes.
Your "primary competitive advantage" is the same as mine and the guy from India, to work harder and increase our skills or else look for work in a higher paying field - but don't look for the government to secure your misguided notion of "competitive advantage."
Secure? I am asking the government to simply stop lying that we need more tech workers to alliviate a shortage here. You seem to think that asking the government to STOP LYING somehow equates to being anti-market and anti-competitive. So I guess you're a weasel like they are.
If we didn't "need" any more Tech workers they wouldn't be coming over here because there wouldn't be any jobs
When that was refuted, you went to your second lie:
What your asking is for the government to obstruct the flow of labor to help you secure a higher rate of pay, not because of market factors but because of government intervention.
It is government intervention that CREATED the H1-B visa program, by increasing immigration work quotas BASED ON THE LIE that we need more workers to fill a shortage here.
OK, that's two lies. One more and you're out.
Your "primary competitive advantage" is the same as mine and the guy from India
Bull Sh$T after 5 years the Indian saves enough money to return home and live like a king in his homes depressed economy ... American workers have to stay here on THIS economy
My opinion ... he must have FAILED econ 101
Send them back to India and let them compete from there.
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