The Hindu Business Line : Minnesota pitches for more visas in hi-tech sectors

Mr Pawlenty is urging the Federal Government to "loosen its hold on these important employment visas" on the ground that Minnesota needs to keep more of the talented.

New Delhi , Jan. 23

EVEN as the advance degree H-1B visas have hit the 20,000 ceiling for fiscal 2006, the Governor of State of Minnesota has raised the pitch for increasing the number of H-1B visas and employment-based green cards granted to those studying and working in high technology sectors.

The Governor of Minnesota, Mr Tim Pawlenty, is slated to travel to Washington next month to lobby the immigration, border security and citizenship sub-committee chairs of US House and Senate Judiciary Committees to allow more than the 65,000 H-1B visas currently granted each year for these specialised areas of work.

Seeking an increase in the number of H-1B visas and employment-based green cards, Mr Pawlenty is urging the Federal Government to "loosen its hold on these important employment visas" on the ground that Minnesota needs to keep more of the talented and hard working employees trained in its colleges and universities in the State, after they graduate. Other proposals include a new citizenship tax credit aimed at helping immigrants with the costs of becoming a US citizen and utilising visa opportunities for foreign medical professionals in underserved areas of Minnesota.

The demand for raising the H-1B visa limit comes at a time when the advance degree H-1B visas have run out for fiscal 2006. As per the latest update from US Citizenship and Immigration Service, the quota of 20,000 visas, available under this category, has been exhausted on January 17.

Earlier, the annual cap of 65,000 for H-1B category was reached even before the start of the Federal Government's fiscal year 2006, beginning on October 1, 2005. H-1B visas allow employers to have access to highly educated foreign professionals who have experience in specialised areas and who have at least a bachelor's degree or the equivalent. H-1B workers, including computer programmers, engineers, architects, accountants and doctors, are admitted to the US for an initial period of three years, which can be extended for an additional three years.