Not many takers for H1B visas

Applications for H-1B work visas, once most sought-after among Indian IT professionals, have not even reached the 50 per cent mark of the Congressional-mandated quota of 65,000, US officials have said, amid India’s concerns over the rise in fee for the scheme.

According to the latest figures released by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), just 29,700 people had applied for H-1B visas till August 13.

In the separate, higher-education category, the USCIS has received only 12,300 petitions so far.

Till two years ago, the cap for both the categories of H-1B visas was reached within the first few days and USCIS had to resort to computerised draw of lots to decide on successful applicants.

The low-key response this year comes amid India’s concerns over the rise in H1-B and L1 visa fee, which would adversely affect Indian IT companies.

“We are in touch with the Indian government and are trying as best as we can to answer the questions they have about this new law,” a senior US official, familiar with the ongoing Indo-US talks on this issue, said.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Anand Sharma, had last week also written a letter to US Trade Representative Ron Kirk, on the issue.

Under the $600-million border security bill signed into law by President Barack Obama, nearly $550 million would be raised by increasing the fee in the categories of H-1B and L1 visas for the next five years, which would mostly impact Indian IT companies.