life-A Vision

This post is about American IT sector and Indians. Let us see where Obama stands in H1-B issue and do they really in no need of Indians.

H1-B is a program which started in 1990, was set up to allow U.S. companies to import the best and brightest in technology, engineering, and other fields when such workers are in short supply domestically.

Does Obama support H1-B and green card program? Yes, he is. We can see this by various activities of Obama. When he was a Senator during 2007, he proposed some amendments which gave importance to keep immigrant families together and recommended for a system to ease the verification process of immigration eligibility and he introduced 'Citizenship Promotion Act' which would help to reduce the immigration application fee. Thus, the 12 million undocumented immigrants who are expected living now in United States can get citizenship legally, in achieving immigration reform.

According to one report published in October, one-in-five visa applications are either fraudulent or flawed. Some companies try to shell themselves by H1-B. The great example is a Virginia based company which also operates in India as an offshore centre requiring $1.7 million to pay 343 employees!. Obama wants to stop the employers from abusing the system and their workers.

Obama support raising H1-B visas and he did so by passing an immigration bill during 2007. One can ask if this is possible in this recession period. The answer is Yes. Like, if any US company wants to hire an outsourcing vendor then they will be in need of US workers as well.

Obama wants to ease the process of getting green card and he also states that "We should allow immigrants who earn their degree here to stay, work and to become an American".

The following statement made by Barrack Obama and which is turned now a subject of discussion in his own blog itself.
"Senator Obama has refused to directly address tech workers who have been displaced by H1B. He also refused to co-sponsor the “The H-1B and L-1 Visa Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act of 2007" from fellow Illinois Senator Dick Durbin".

Also, This March 20th, 2009 Indian CII delegation which include the top CEO's of Indian corporate companies met Barrack Obama's administration officials in Washington on H1-B visa issue. And they were assured that there would not be any setback to allow programmes unless or otherwise it affects US workers.

"As long as economic growth is off the table, immigration reform is off the table," said by one official. "There is limited space on the legislative agenda, and immigration isn't at the top now," said by Attorney for the National Council of State Legislatures.

Being myself as eyewitness, I could say that many H1-B and L1 visa holders are going back home as their project is ended and there is no more extension of project. Pathetically who went their home on vacation are refused to come back to US during their immigration check at Airport.

Will there be rush in H1-B 2010 like 2008 and 2009? It is really difficult to say..since there are so many unemployed engineers and consultants are there...there is no need of H1-B this year i think..But Infosys and Wipro are going to hire higher number compared to American firms.This is only my assumption..

No one can refuse Indian's contribution in American IT sector. Microsoft, Google, IBM even in Lehman Brothers’ they have played vital role.. An estimated 3000 Indians which are just under 10 percent were working for Microsoft in Washington State. President Obama says Indian's and Chinese are well educated even though they had less facility compared to US. And he said "America should train youngsters to meet their needs in job including IT, Nursing section etc., American people cannot be coaxed to do this or that. They are very independent in their strides. Politicians cannot change them. Even if they start now itself it will take 20 or more years to reach our advanced position and we Indians will be in unreachable position in technology at that stage. American mistakes are so many in the past. What is positive about them is that they will realize their mistakes and do more to reconcile them. As for Indians, we have proved our worth all over the world. We cannot go on expecting others to come to our rescue.

As Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam said "A developed India by 2020, or even earlier, is not a dream. It need not be a mere vision in the minds of many Indians. It is a mission we can all take up - and succeed." Let our former President's dream come true.
The day will come when we allow foreign workers seeking jobs in our country.

Yes, We can.