Premium visa suspension to hit IT sector

Nasscom said it would work with the US Embassy in India to ensure that the movement of professionals is not hit by such process issues.
Premium visa suspension to hit IT sector

NEW DELHI: The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)’s decision to suspend processing of premium H1-B visas from April 3 would lead to process delays for Indian IT firms, industry body Nasscom said on Sunday.

“The current issue of the temporary suspension of premium H-1B processing will create some process delays for the companies – Indian and American,” Nasscom stated. The lobby group, however, added that the move would not be a ‘significant impediment’ for the $110-billion outsourcing industry.

Nasscom said it would work with the US Embassy in India to ensure that the movement of professionals is not hit by such process issues.

According to experts, the move would also put pressure on Indian IT companies as any changes in visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the Indian outsourcing industry.

Under the premium route, companies can get H-1B visa application processed in 15 days by paying additional fee of $1,225 against three to six months under normal circumstances.

The suspension of premium processing of H-1B visas might last up to six months. The USCIS cited the huge backlog of H-1B applications for suspending the premium services.

Notably, the decision was announced hours after Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and Commerce Secretary Rita Teotia held meetings with officials in the US to view the H1-B visa issue as a trade and services matter, and not an immigration one. The US accounts for over 60 per cent of the Indian IT export revenues.

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The New Indian Express
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