US may ease H-1B visa norms amid Modi's visit: Report
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United States (US) President Joe Biden's government would likely make it easier for Indians to live and work in the country, reported Reuters. This comes amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day state visit to the US. According to the report, the US State Department could announce on Thursday the ease of visa norms for Indian skilled workers to enter and remain in the country.
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Pilot program to include H-1B visas
Speaking to Reuters, a US official said the expected announcement would allow a small number of Indians and other foreign workers on H-1B visas to renew their visas in the US without traveling abroad. This is part of a pilot program that could be expanded in the upcoming years, the official said. Meanwhile, a State Department spokesperson declined to define "small."
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Program to also include L-1 visas
A source said the program would include some workers with L-1 visas—which are available to people transferring within a US company. Another source reported progress in a separate initiative, which is clearing the visa backlog at US embassies in India. This year, some H-1B visa holders, who were laid off, were forced to secure employment within 60 days or return to their home country.
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73% of H-1B visa holders are Indians
Notably, the pilot program would benefit Indians the most, as they accounted for around 73% of the 4,42,000 H-1B workers in the fiscal year 2022. The companies using the most H-1B workers in recent years include Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta. However, steps for the pilot program could change as they are yet to be finalized, Reuters reported.
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H-1B visa can be renewed for 3 years
The US government annually makes 65,000 H-1B visas available to companies seeking skilled foreign workers. An additional 20,000 are available for workers with advanced degrees. The initial three-year visa can be extended for another three years. The spokesperson said the ability for some of the temporary foreign workers to renew visas in the US would free up resources for visa interviews at consulates abroad.