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`H1B visa norm changes being discussed'

Our Bureau

Chennai , Sept. 2

THE US is discussing whether students coming there to study and later getting employment locally should be excluded from H1B visa category. If they are excluded, it could increase the number of H1B visas by about 15,000 to 20,000, and increase the total number of H1B visas to around 85,000, said Mr Kiran Karnik, President, Nasscom (National Association of Software and Services Companies).

"This is one of the proposals that is being considered in the US, and we should know the changes (with regard to H1B visa) in the next couple of weeks, or else after the US Presidential elections. Such a move by the US will help Indian firms," he told newspersons here.

It may be recalled that last year, the US reduced the number of H1B visas to 65,000 from 1,95,000.

The reduction in H1B visa would have a negative effect on the US firms, which are increasingly looking at India to outsource their software development and services.

For large Indian software firms, the reduction in H1B visa would not affect them immediately, since most of their employees had applied for a visa a couple of years ago, and would get extension for two or three years. Any impact would be known only after two or three years.

However, new companies, especially small and medium sized firms, may be hit badly, he said.

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