Concerns related to the proposed tightening of the H-1B visa regime topped India’s agenda in a meeting between a group of visiting American lawmakers and Commerce & Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday.
“Eight bi-partisan US lawmakers were part of the meeting with the Minister. A wide range of issues were discussed with India’s focus on the H-1B issue,” a government official told BusinessLine.
The delegation will also meet other policymakers from Ministries such as IT.
The Indian IT industry is concerned about two legislative bills being considered by the US Congress — one which proposes doubling the minimum wage rate for such visas to $130,000 from the current $60,000 and the other which proposes disallowing companies with more than 50 employees, of which at least half are H-1B or L-1 holders, from hiring additional H-1B employees.