There won’t be any winners in the proposed US H1B visa rules: CUTS International

New Delhi, Jan 5 (KNN) Commenting over the recent reports of the United States considering changing H1B visa rules, CUTS international stated that the new proposal is not going to do any good to anyone.

According to reports, if a proposal by the Trump administration of not extending the H1B visa to Green Card applicants is implemented, then nearly half a million H1B Indian workers in the US may be on their way back home.

Until now such workers were allowed to stay in the US till such time their green card application was under process even after their H1B had run its course. Reportedly, the proposal aims to make it illegal for such workers to stay in the US for the intervening time i.e. between the expiry of their H1B visa and issuance of the Green Card.


CUTS international in a press statement discussed its argument.

The organization said that it is essential to note that H1B visa is for skilled manpower and hence this may bring in unpredictability for the employers in the US.

Even though the change in immigration regulations is still a proposed one, this may adversely affect existing and prospective H1B applications by forcing US employers to reconsider their employment policies for H1B holders. In the worst case scenario, it could also adversely affect the green card applications under the process.


That said, there are challenges that even the Trump administration and US businesses could face. These may include pacifying such employers whose businesses will be adversely affected, for employers to find suitable replacements and for the administration to forgo the tax revenues coming in from potentially affected population, CUTS international said in a press statement.

In this week alone, there were other unpleasant news on this front. For instance, there are reports that the proposed US Bill on ‘Protecting American Jobs’ seeks to tighten the definition of visa-dependent companies, imposition of fresh restrictions on minimum salary and movement of talent. These developments could have the potential to vitiate the cordial India-US relations., the statement added.

In the recent past, the issue of H1B visas was taken up by Commerce Minster Suresh Prabhu at US-India bilateral Trade Policy Forum (TPF) and separately by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his meeting with US Commerce Secretary, Wilbur Ross.


India’s argument is that the issue related to H1B is essentially a trade and services issue, and not a matter relating to immigration. Further, H1B pertains to temporary movement of Indian professionals while US’s position seems to suggest that H1B programme was meant to fulfil the shortage of skilled manpower but over the years has become a back door route to obtain US residency.


Be that as it may, this issue needs resolution at the highest level as there are no winners but only losers and colossal waste of resources. In other words, there is a mutuality of interests involved and this how this matter must be seen and resolved at bilateral level.


CUTS International also known as Consumer Unity & Trust Society is a non-profit organisation headquartered in Jaipur. The organization addresses issues at regional and international levels through a network of 13 centres around the world.

By cooperating with civil and government bodies, the organization provides insights and solutions for a variety of developmental challenges. (KNN/DA)