NEW RULES FOR H-1B VISA MILD NEGATIVE FOR INDIAN IT SERVICES, SAYS ICRA

NEW DELHI: The proposed changes in H-1B application selection process by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) are prospective in nature but will have a minor adverse impact on the margins of Indian IT services companies, investment information agency ICRA has said. The H-1B application selection process will be based on wage levels compared to an earlier selection method based on lottery. Under the new rule, the USCIS will select applications offering the highest wages proffered vis-a-vis selected occupation level or position to attract the highest skilled labour. ICRA said this is likely to be a mild negative for the Indian IT services as H-1B visa offered wage levels are generally in line or marginally higher than the prevailing wages associated with the position. Compared to the same, international companies offer substantially higher wages and are likely to garner a higher share of such H-1B visas unless Indian IT services companies increase the wages offered substantially. About 20 to 30 per cent of Indian IT services employees work onsite with nearly 40 to 50 per cent dependent on the H-1B visa. Employee costs form 55 to 60 per cent of the revenues for Indian IT services companies with a majority of the same incurred for onsite work. “The proposed changes are prospective in nature (effective March 9) and will not impact existing H-1B visa holders. Hence, this will have a minor adverse impact on the margins of Indian IT services companies going forward owing to the overall high dependence on such visas,” said ICRA. The Indian IT services sector is a major beneficiary of H-1B visa programme. The USCIS issued a total of 3.88 lakh H-1B visas during FY2019 (October 2018-September 2019), including fresh ones and renewals, of which India’s share stood 71.7%.