No significant changes in H-1B visa policy: U.S Diplomat

No changes have been effected in H-1B visa policy, said Marykay Carlson, a senior U.S diplomat, on the occasion of annual Student Visa Day of the U.S Embassy in India. H-4 visa policy too stays unchanged, she added. This news has come as a sigh of relief among Indians residing in the USA, following Donald Trump led administration’s idea to revise the immigration system. Moreover, she said that offering visas remain a sovereign matter of a country.

Here we highlight the key outcomes of Marykay Carlson’s visit to India:

1.    Neither H-1B nor H-4 programme are subjected to major changes.

 2.    Granting employment visa, and even work permits for that matter, is well and truly a sovereign decision of the country, stated the US Deputy Chief of Mission. 

 3.    Spouses of H-1B visa holders are offered with H-4 visa. Majority of H-1B visa holders are top-skilled professionals from India.

 4.    Close to 70,000 H-4 visa holders could be on the receiving end due to the changes that will come into play if the Donald Trump government’s plan is implemented successfully.

 5.    Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External Affairs of India, had meanwhile said that the government would do the needful to convince Trump led administration against the implementation of such changes. Over and above, she acknowledged that Donald Trump was indeed scrutinizing the H-4 visa policy.

 6.    The year 2017 saw 12 percent increase in Indian student’s enrollment in the US. The number stood at 1,86,000 (which is twice higher than what it was a decade ago).

 7.    Indian students account for 17 percent of the entire international students’ populace in the US. And India is the second major country of origin for students coming to the country.

 8.    There were reports which suggested the Donald Trump government was thinking of restraining the spouses of H-1B visa holders from working legally in the United States of America.