Updated June 23rd, 2020 at 16:30 IST
Donald Trump's ban on H-1B visas 'economically stupid', say disappointed netizens
US President Donald Trump’s proclamation to reform employment-based H-1B immigration program has been denounced by immigrants and nonimmigrants alike.
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US President Donald Trump’s proclamation to temporarily suspend employment-based nonimmigrant visas and reform H-1B immigration program has been denounced by immigrants and nonimmigrants alike. The White House said in a statement that the Trump Administration will reform the immigration system to “prioritise the highest-skilled workers and protect American jobs”.
For Indians, H-1B for IT professionals, B-1 and B-2 visas for business or travel purposes, and F-1 for students are some prominent non-immigrant visas. H1-B visa allows US employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise and Indian IT professionals looking for onshore opportunities heavily depend on it.
White House said that these reforms will help protect the wages of American workers and ensure that foreign labour entering the United States is highly skilled and does not undercut the US labour market. Trump administration also extended the pause on new immigrant visas through the end of the year to prioritise American workers during coronavirus recovery.
Read: Sundar Pichai Issues First Response As Trump Suspends H-1B Visas; Reveals Google's Stand
'Economically stupid'
However, Netizens weren’t impressed by the proclamation and raised concerns over growing protectionism, calling it “morally wrong” and “economically stupid”. A Twitter user commented that people of Indian origin who voted Trump in 2016 feel cheated by the suspension of the H-1B visa program till year-end, doubting his re-election chances. Check out some of the reactions:
Banning all H1B visas means CEOs like me have to open offices and hire more people in countries like Canada that allow immigration.
— H1B immigrant Anshu Sharma 🌶 (@anshublog)
This visa ban is morally wrong, and economically stupid. What happened to being “for legal immigration”? https://t.co/R9O9Q1Ts0j
The suspension of the H1B visa program is bad for the US, bad for innovation, and will shatter dreams and disrupt lives. As a former H1B visa holder, my heart goes out to all the families affected.
— Andrew Ng (@AndrewYNg)
Unfortunately, the system is formulated to discriminate against the Indian talent on H1-B visas and creates a backlog of 150 years for green cards. All in the name of legal STEM immigration curbing labor mobility and innovation. https://t.co/jkf2swAUrp
— Amish Doshi (@desi_c0wb0y)
My friend Srinivas and I came both to the US more than 10 years ago with a job and a dream coming true. For many years we worked desk to desk and contributed to this country.
— Roberto Strepparava 🌺 (@R_Strepparava)
I am now a US citizen, he is STILL on an H1-B.
Please lift your hold on the #S386 bill @SenatorDurbin
I'm sad and frustrated to read about the temporary ban of the H1b program. I came here on an H1b and almost every immigrant friend I know did so too. We didn't steal jobs from Americans. The job market is simply not a zero sum game.
— Gustaf Alströmer (@gustaf)
According to a Bloomberg report, around 133,000 H1-B visas were awarded to workers starting initial employment with a company in the fiscal year 2019. Over 12,000 people were awarded L-1 visas in initial applications, and over 98,000 people were issued H-2B visas in the same fiscal year. Critics believe that the US President is using the pandemic as an excuse to work on his long-term agenda of limiting immigration to the United States.
Read: South Africa-born Elon Musk Says H-1B & Other Visas Add Net-job Creators; Opposes Trump
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Published June 23rd, 2020 at 16:31 IST