Indian techies anxious about Donald Trump’s decision on H-1B visas

Techies from India working in the US are growing more and more nervous about what lies in store for them with respect to their H1B visas. We hear that some are even considering returning to homeland due to growing uncertainties.

President Donald Trump has used "best and the brightest" to describe the kind of employees to be picked for the H1B visa. However, many have criticized this saying that mostly entry-level employers have been hired via the program to displace American workers.

Nevertheless, some folks including leading administrators in the Trump government are increasingly using the expression "best and the brightest" to back the supply of H1B visas strictly based on priority.

It is heard that Vox.com now possesses what is being speculated as draft Executive Orders being considered by the Trump administration on several immigration issues. The worrying thing for Indian techies is that these target H1Bs apart from Illegal Immigration.

The idea behind these proposed orders is to protect American jobs and workers by bringing in tougher regulations for Visa Programs meant for employees from overseas. The draft executive order also calls for a probe into any “injury to U.S. workers” due to the employment of foreign workers in the US via nonimmigrant visa programs, such as H1B.

Implementation of these purported draft Executive Orders will pave way for annulment of Obama policies, which allowed recent foreign grads to work for one year following graduation, spouses of H1B visa holders to get employed, and illegal aliens to apply for a green card after marrying a US citizen.

However, sources say that White House officials haven’t yet commented on these reports. And it is still not known whether work is still in progress on these orders or a final order is waiting for President Trump’s authorization.

No wonder most Indian techies have been speculative about continuing their stay in the US after Trump’s election win.

Estimates reveals that around 300 to 350k Indian engineers from IT companies like Infosys, IBM, TCS and Wipro are in the US on these visas.

Techies from India have mostly viewed America as the land of milk and honey. Many engineers dream about making it big in the US after completing their engineering degrees. But they are now doubtful about their dreams, thanks to Donald Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric.