H1B: More troubles for Indian IT workers, Singapore cuts down visas

April 3, 2017: After US, Singapore is the next country to follow suit when it comes to cutting down visas to Indian techies working in IT companies.

Sources reveal that Indian companies based in Singapore have been informed on fair consideration i.e., the need to hire local talent.

Even as Indian IT workers recover from Donald Trump’s crack down on companies that employ workers on H1B visa jobs, Singapore has been putting a similar proposal into action, albeit silently.

The number of visas issued for IT workers have gone down considerably ever since the cut down on visas took off in early 2016.

According to a report on TOI, the huge decline in visas to Indian workers has driven the government into deferring the review of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) due to the apparent violation of trade pact.

We hear from the report that Indian firms in Singapore have been asked to hire local talent, which has pushed them into considering relocation to other countries in the neighborhood.

As quoted by TOI, Nasscom president R Chandrashekhar said, “This has been lingering for a while but since early-2016, visas are down to a trickle. All Indian companies have received communication on fair consideration, which basically means hiring local people.”

Reportedly, the Singapore authorities are enforcing ‘economic needs test’ (which requires meeting certain economic criteria) to block admission to Indian professionals.

However, Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has said that it remains committed to working with India to complete the review of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).

MTI also added that it has not received any announcement from India that the review of CECA has been put on hold.

An MTI spokesman was quoted as saying, “Singapore has not received any official notification from the Indian government that the review of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement is put on hold.”

“We remain committed to work with India to conclude the second Ceca review.”