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With the possibility of the US tightening H-1B visa rules, fear has gripped Indian techies. The Quint spoke to some of those likely to be affected and waded through social media to trace the panic and the dashed hopes.
A legislation was recently introduced in the US House of Representatives, which calls for more than doubling the minimum salary of H-1B visa holders to $130,000. There’s also talk that US President Donald Trump may pass an executive order revising work visa rules.
Skim through the social media – and you come across alarmed techies who feel their plans of moving to the US may have taken a big hit.
The H-1B legislation changes will also affect students who have just landed jobs in the States and were to start off with F1 visas. They were to work using these visas until their companies filed for H-1B visas for them in April.
But if the required salary is more than doubled, many of them may not quality for the H1-B visa any more. An H1-B visa is a non-immigrant visa that lets US companies hire foreign employees for speciality roles.
The visa rule curbs will also hit those who are already working in the US. They may suddenly find themselves lacking the required criteria to renew their H-1Bs. Some have already cancelled plans to visit India in the next few days, afraid that they might not be allowed back in.
With uncertainty over getting a work visa, some are even considering giving up on their American dream altogether.
There are also good Samaritans online who have written extensive explainer blogs and Facebook posts to answer the myriads of questions and to stop people from panicking.
And then there is the optimistic bunch which is typing away how “all is well”. And that there is no way the bill will be passed.
Amid all this, rumours are going around about the US immigration department screening visa applicants’ social media activity. And this has only added to the swirling panic and confusion.
Amidst all this, not all hope is lost. Several Indians are optimistic that the revised system will actually be beneficial to them. And no, they don’t mean to come back to India and work, but they can actually use the loopholes in the bill to their advantage.
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