No cut in H-1B visas for Indians: US Consul-General

There is no cut in H-1B visas for Indians, US Consul-General for Hyderabad, Cornelis M Keur, has clarified. While the US Government had made it clear that companies give preference to Americans in employment as the jobless rate had risen to 9 percent in the wake of the recession, there had been no significant change in the H-1B visa policy, Keur maintained.

In a programme organised by the Press Club, he described as misconceived the notion that H-1B visas were detrimental to jobs for US nationals.

Raising the cap on H-1B visas would help promote economic growth by bringing in extraordinary and boosting competitiveness, he said. However, the slowdown had meant that companies receiving funds under the US Government’s bailout package would have difficulty hiring H1B workers.
However, students with requisite skills were still attractive for US employers.

Many had also interned with US companies who were now sponsoring them for their H1Bs, he said.

“There are three million Indians in United States who are contributing to its prosperity,’’ Keur said, and also made special mention of the Telugus who have made a mark in various fields besides IT.

Keur said that the Hyderabad Consulate General was processing around 350 visas a per day as against the targeted 500. But this would pick up in June once the new staff were trained by the experienced hands who had been brought in from Chennai and Delhi. There were one lakh students from Andhra Pradesh pursuing higher studies in the USA and demand was likely to increase, he said.

On students and professionals from India being at risk from violent crime, Keur pointed out that nationals of other countries also faced such hazards and that the US administration was taking steps to curb the menace.
Press Club President GS Vasu and General Secretary Ravikanth Reddy were present.