Now US Companies cannot hire H1B visa workers

Washington, Feb 14: The US stimulus bill is approved and the amendment in the bill to refrain H1B visa workers is retained. This is a major blow to Indian IT professionals. The US Congress has prohibited banks and firms receiving federal bailout money from hiring people H1B visas in place of Americans due to economic meltdown.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association had earlier opposed the measure and described it as disappointing and argued that this would prove to be counterproductive as it prevents the US companies to hire the best available global talent.

The measure is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, popularly known as the stimulus bill. The Act passed by the Congress - both the House of Representative and the Senate will inject $787 billion to boost US economy.

"As the banks have announced mass layoffs, the measure would effectively place a moratorium on the H1B visa programme," Senator Bernie Sanders said in a statement.

"The measure, as finally approved by the Congress, would require the bailed-out banks to hire only Americans for two years unless they could prove they were not replacing laid-off Americans with guest workers," Sanders said.

OneIndia News (With inputs from Agencies)