'Why move to US when work can happen remotely': Sanjeev Sanyal on H-1B visa

Speaking at an event in New Delhi, Sanjeev Sanyal today questioned why IT firms in India send people to the US, noting their work does not require physical relocation

Sanjeev Sanyal, member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, on Monday questioned why Indian IT firms need to send professionals abroad when their work can be done remotely, reported Moneycontrol. Speaking at a Network18’s summit in New Delhi, Sanyal said long-term visas such as H-1B mainly benefit the host nations.

 

“Even today H-1B is primarily used by Amazon, Google, and so on, And not Indian companies. Anyway, if they are IT companies, why do they need (people) to move to the US? You are in an industry in which work can happen from anywhere. Why do you need to move there?” Sanyal said, as quoted by Moneycontrol.

 

He added that Indian negotiators should not raise long-term visas as a bargaining point in discussions with other countries. “This is something they should ask us for,” Sanyal said. 

 

Sanyal’s remark comes after the US President Donald Trump-led administration announced a $100,000 one-time fee on new H-1B visa applications.

 

Since the announcement, major multinational firms that sponsor employee visas have been abuzz. Although immigration data shows H-1B applications have dropped nearly 80 per cent over the past decade—highlighting that the visa’s significance for Indian IT had been declining even before the latest development—Indians still make up over 70 per cent of all H-1B visa holders.

 

Amid this, the Information Technology industry body Nasscom on Monday pointed out that the new fee is likely to have a marginal impact on Indian IT firms, as Indian and India-centric firms operating in Washington have significantly reduced their reliance on H-1B visas.