NASSCOMs resoponse to US senators on H-1B visas

Bangalore, May 30 (UNI) The National Association of Software Services and Companies (NASSCOM) today dubbed as ''protectionist measure'' the clause relating to prohibiting companies from hiring H-IB employees in the United States introduced in the Immigration Bill by Senators Durbin and Grassley.

Responding to a letter from the two senators dated May 14 to the nine Indian IT Companies about reported fraud and abuse of H-IB visa programme and its impact on American workers, NASSCOM in its letter on behalf of these nine companies said the specific clause in the Immigration Bill, which had been introduced by the two Senators that ''prohibits companies from hiring H-1B employees if they employ more than 50 people and more than 50 per cent of their employees are H-1B visa holders ''would affect the Indian IT companies and was a ''protectionist measure''. It would also reduce to number of H-IB visa holders going to the US and reduce the competitiveness of the IT industry in the US.

The nine IT companies included Infosys, Wipro, TCS, i-flex solutions and Satyam computers.

NASSCOM said, in a release here, "knowledge-based services trade has been a unique feature of India-US trade and NASSCOM and the industry were hopeful that the US would not specifically penalise non-US firms and continue to promote free and fair trade, so that this sector could continue to flourish as part of a broader US-India engagement. NASSCOM offers to meet and discuss on the issue with the Senators at a convenient time." Representing the viewpoint of these nine Indian companies and the industry, the letter assured the Senators of support and co-operation by NASSCOM and its member companies on the larger issue of visa fraud and also echoes the Senators' belief that any fraudulent activity should be dealt with in the strictest possible manner.

MORE UNI