<p> The US has assured India that the H1-B visas issue was not a priority for it and would be part of the larger immigration reforms package that the new Trump administration is working on.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The assurance came amid an ongoing debate in the US and reported moves by the Trump Administration to bring out an executive order to curtail the use of H1-B visas.<br /><br />“There was a sense that there is a recognition of the contribution of the Indian tech sector. Certainly this is not very much...not a priority of the government. They are concerned with the immigration issue...most of the issues are quite different,” said visiting Commerce Secretary Rita Teotia told reporters.<br /><br />“Nevertheless when it is addressed, it would be part of the overall immigration package,” Teotia said. Teotia, along with Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, is currently in the US meeting top officials of the Trump administration and the Congressional leadership.India has been strongly taking up the case of H1-B visas with the Trump administration.<br /><br />During their meetings with the top administration officials, including Commerce Secretary William Ross, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and with the Congressional leadership, the visiting Indian officials conveyed that H1-B is a “category of trade and services” which actually helps American economy to be competitive.<br /><br />H1-B, he noted, was a trade and business issue and not an economic issue, even though in the US context it was seen as part of the immigration basket.<br /><br />Bipartisan H1-B, L1 visa reform bill introduced in US Congress<br /><br />A bipartisan group of four US lawmakers, including Indian-American Ro Khanna, on Saturday introduced a legislation in the Congress to reform the current H1-B and L1 work visas and end its abuse by foreign companies. The H1-B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2017 introduced by Congressmen Bill Pascrell, Dave Brat, Khanna and Paul Gosar is in addition to the nearly half a dozen similar legislations pending in the US Congress – either the House of Representatives or the Senate – all of whom seek to close loopholes in the H1-B and L visa programmes to reduce fraud and abuse, provide protections for American workers and visa holders.<br /><br />Interestingly, the latest move from four Congressmen come a day after a Nasscom delegation concluded its trip to the US during which they met a number of US lawmakers to sensitise them about the importance of H1-B and L1 visas.<br /><br /><br /></p>
<p> The US has assured India that the H1-B visas issue was not a priority for it and would be part of the larger immigration reforms package that the new Trump administration is working on.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The assurance came amid an ongoing debate in the US and reported moves by the Trump Administration to bring out an executive order to curtail the use of H1-B visas.<br /><br />“There was a sense that there is a recognition of the contribution of the Indian tech sector. Certainly this is not very much...not a priority of the government. They are concerned with the immigration issue...most of the issues are quite different,” said visiting Commerce Secretary Rita Teotia told reporters.<br /><br />“Nevertheless when it is addressed, it would be part of the overall immigration package,” Teotia said. Teotia, along with Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, is currently in the US meeting top officials of the Trump administration and the Congressional leadership.India has been strongly taking up the case of H1-B visas with the Trump administration.<br /><br />During their meetings with the top administration officials, including Commerce Secretary William Ross, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and with the Congressional leadership, the visiting Indian officials conveyed that H1-B is a “category of trade and services” which actually helps American economy to be competitive.<br /><br />H1-B, he noted, was a trade and business issue and not an economic issue, even though in the US context it was seen as part of the immigration basket.<br /><br />Bipartisan H1-B, L1 visa reform bill introduced in US Congress<br /><br />A bipartisan group of four US lawmakers, including Indian-American Ro Khanna, on Saturday introduced a legislation in the Congress to reform the current H1-B and L1 work visas and end its abuse by foreign companies. The H1-B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2017 introduced by Congressmen Bill Pascrell, Dave Brat, Khanna and Paul Gosar is in addition to the nearly half a dozen similar legislations pending in the US Congress – either the House of Representatives or the Senate – all of whom seek to close loopholes in the H1-B and L visa programmes to reduce fraud and abuse, provide protections for American workers and visa holders.<br /><br />Interestingly, the latest move from four Congressmen come a day after a Nasscom delegation concluded its trip to the US during which they met a number of US lawmakers to sensitise them about the importance of H1-B and L1 visas.<br /><br /><br /></p>