Not much effect on India

With reference to Ayan Pramanik’s article, “H-1B issues may affect people but not companies: Expert” (November 11), the current US government started its term with a promise to prevent immigration of foreign nationals and ensure adequate job opportunities to its citizens.

However, it has realised the necessity to strike a balance between politics and economics. The US cannot prevent all immigration from India as software professionals provide essential support to the former’s economy. Software companies such as Infosys, Wipro and TCS enable the US to import software services from India. These companies already have offices in the US and employ the local population also. They cannot be asked to shut down abruptly, as this will render their citizens jobless and hamper economic growth.

Experienced professionals will invariably migrate to the US in search of more lucrative jobs. Indian software and other companies will absorb them for their skills. It is only the entry-level job seeker whose H-1B visa application may undergo more scrutiny. However, the very purpose of such scrutiny indicates underlying economic interest in permitting immigration.

Training skills have to be imparted on an ongoing basis. Changes in college curricula to impart software skills call for technical expertise, which can be provided only by importing software services from India.

Further, US restrictions on immigration from India will impact bilateral trade. The overall negative impact of beefing up issuance of H-1B visas to Indian immigrants is negligible.

C Gopinath Nair   Kochi

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