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Let the market decide on H-1B numbers: U.S. Chamber

Washington: Slamming the critics of H-1B, a U.S. thinktank and corporate America have suggested removal of Congressional cap on this popular work visa programme and allowing markets to determine the number of skilled foreign workers eligible to work in the country.

“The best policy for the United States is one that sides with freedom and innovation, not restriction. It is a policy where the H-1B cap is either eliminated or set high enough that we can let the market decide on the number of new skilled foreign nationals who work in America each year,” a report said.

The 81-page report titled Regaining America's Competitive Advantage: Making our Immigration System Work has been jointly prepared by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is the top representative body for American businesses, and the American Council on International Personnel, an eminent thinktank.

U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday signed into law the Border Security Bill, imposing a steep hike in fees for some categories of H-1B and L-1 visas — a move that is expected to hurt Indian IT firms as they may have to shell out an additional $250 million annually for the next five years.

“The best policy would ease the way for employers to sponsor high skilled individuals for green cards by exempting from labour certification and current employment-based immigrant quotas many who now languish in six to 20 year queues,” said the report.

“Allowing top talent who graduate from U.S. universities to gain a green card directly will help U.S. employers retain the world's leading future innovators,” the report said.

The report has come out with some very interesting finding about H-1B visa programme, according to which the popular foreign work visa has been a key factor in U.S.' competitiveness and its economic growth. — PTI

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