New Delhi (Sputnik) — In the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's attempt to curb work visa for foreign nationals, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the US to rethink on movement of skilled Indian workers. "Prime Minister referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society. He urged developing a reflective, balanced and farsighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals," reads a statement released by Prime Minister Office after Modi met bipartisan delegation of 26 members of the U.S. Congress.
A US Congressional Delegation met PM @narendramodi. pic.twitter.com/19OT5Vhtf9
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 21, 2017
Indian skilled workers mainly from IT sector is largest group of recipients of the 65,000 H-1B visas issued each year to new applicants under a cap mandated by Congress. However, actual number of Indian nationals working in the United States under the H-1B program is quite large because of some of the exemptions available for Indians and roll over visa. The $143 billion Indian IT industry derives 60 per cent ($65 billion) of its total export revenue of $108 billion from the US market alone which is vulnerable to America First policy of Trump. H-1B is a temporary visa program used to bring foreign workers to the United States to fill high-skilled jobs.
CEO of @Microsoft, Mr. @satyanadella called on the Prime Minister. pic.twitter.com/VwSQkJITHA
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 21, 2017
The tightening of H1B visa regulations and other administrative measures being currently trigger panic among the Indian IT companies like Infosys, TCS and HCL which depends upon wide variety of outsourced back-end jobs received from US market.
Meanwhile, Indian IT industry lobby Nasscom has announced a week-long visit to US from February 24 to appraise the Trump administration about Indian IT industry's contribution to US economy. "We are going to highlight value contribution of the Indian information technology sector to the US economy in terms of Indian industry being the net creator and protector of jobs in US," Shivendra Singh, vice-president and head of global trade development, Nasscom, said. Indian IT firms claimed that it has created 41100 jobs in the US.
