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US H-1B visa restrictions to end in
two years
WSN Network
WASHINGTON:
Raising hopes for thousands of affected Indians expatriates, the US
government's controversial decision to restrict companies from
hiring skilled foreign workers with non-immigrant H-1B visas will
continue for only two years, the U.S. Immigration Department has
said.
As part of the
stimulus package passed last month for revival of the economy,
President Barack Obama signed a new law, titled the "Employ American
Workers Act" (EAWA), which makes it difficult for the companies
having received government bailout funds to hire H-1B foreign
workers.
However, the US
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), in a circular issued
with its invitation of H1-B applications for the next year, made it
clear that the Act’s requirements are not permanent and would
"sunset two years from the date of enactment."
The new law has
created an uproar among Indian IT professionals, as they form the
majority of foreign workers going to the
US on H1-B visa
to work in IT-related functions at banking and financial services
firms.
USCIS said that
it was revising its application form for non-immigrant workers to
include a question asking whether the petitioner employer had
received covered funding.
Meanwhile, the
USCIS will accept petitions for the H-1B work visas on the first
five working days beginning April 1, but would subject the
applications to various terms and conditions related to Act.
Total such visas
to be issued in the fiscal, beginning October 1, would remain capped
at 65,000. Besides, USCIS would also consider the first 20,000 H-1B
petitions filed on behalf of foreigners who have earned a US
masters' degree or higher education.
25 March 2009
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