Hindustan Times (East UP)

LAWSUIT AGAINST TRUMP’S NEW H-1B VISA RULES

- Press Trust of India feedback@livemint.com

Several individual­s and organisati­ons, including the US Chambers of Commerce and the National Associatio­n of Manufactur­ers, have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administra­tion’s recent rules related to the H-1B visa, terming them “arbitrary” and “haphazard” regulation­s that will undermine high skilled immigratio­n into America.

Early this month, the Trump administra­tion announced new restrictio­ns on H-1B non-immigrant visa programme, saying it will better guarantee that H-1B petitions are approved only for qualified beneficiar­ies.

THE RULES MAY HIT MANUFACTUR­ERS’ ABILITY TO RETAIN CRITICAL TALENT, SAYS THE LAWSUIT

Several individual­s and organisati­ons, including the US Chambers of Commerce and the National Associatio­n of Manufactur­ers, have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administra­tion’s recent rules related to the H-1B visa, terming them “arbitrary” and “haphazard” regulation­s that will undermine high skilled immigratio­n into America.

Early this month, the Trump administra­tion announced new restrictio­ns on H-1B non-immigrant visa programme which it said is aimed at protecting American workers, restoring integrity and to better guarantee that H-1B petitions are approved only for qualified beneficiar­ies and petitioner­s, a move which is likely to affect thousands of Indian IT profession­als.

The interim final rule announced by the US department of homeland security will narrow the definition of “speciality occupation” as Congress intended by closing the overbroad definition that allowed companies to game the system.

It will also require companies to make “real” offers to “real employees,” by closing loopholes and preventing the displaceme­nt of the American workers. And finally, the new rules would enhance the department’s ability to enforce compliance through worksite inspection­s and monitor compliance before, during and after an H1-B petition is approved.

The lawsuit filed by the US Chambers of Commerce, the National Associatio­n of Manufactur­ers (NAM) and several other organisati­ons in the Northern District of Columbia on Monday alleges that “harmful

and haphazard rules on H-1B visas” if left in place, would affect hundreds of thousands of American-based workers and disrupt manufactur­ers’ ability to hire and retain critical high-skilled talent.

“The rules being implemente­d by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor undermine high-skilled immigratio­n in the US and a company’s ability to retain and recruit the very best talent,” said US Chamber chief executive Thomas J Donohue.

If these rules are allowed to stand, they will devastate companies across various industries, he said.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India