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എച്ച്-1, എല്‍-1, ഗ്രീന്‍ കാര്‍ഡ് സസ്‌പെന്‍ഷന്‍ ഡിസംബര്‍ 31 വരെ

Published on 22 June, 2020
എച്ച്-1, എല്‍-1, ഗ്രീന്‍ കാര്‍ഡ് സസ്‌പെന്‍ഷന്‍ ഡിസംബര്‍ 31 വരെ
വാഷിംഗ്ടണ്‍, ഡി.സി. പ്രതീക്ഷിച്ച പോലെ ട്രമ്പ് ഭരണകൂടം എച്ച്-1, എല്‍-1 വിസകള്‍ സസ്പെന്‍ഡ് ചെയ്തു. ഏപ്രില്‍ 22-നു രണ്ടു മാസത്തേക്കു നിര്‍ത്തി വച്ചിരുന്ന ഗ്രീന്‍ കാര്‍ഡ് സസ്‌പെന്‍ഷനും നീട്ടും.

ഡിസംബര്‍ 31 വരെ, അതായത് ആറ് മാസത്തേക്ക്, സസ്പെന്‍ഷന്‍ ബാധകമായിരിക്കും. അതായത് പുതുതായി എച്ച്-1 വിസ കിട്ടിയവര്‍, ഗ്രീന്‍ കാര്‍ഡ് നമ്പറുകള്‍ ഒത്തു വന്നവര്‍ എന്നിവര്‍ക്ക് അമേരിക്കയിലേക്കു വരാനാവില്ല. അമേരിക്കയില്‍ ഉള്ളവര്‍ക്ക് ഇത് ബാധകമല്ല.

അതു പോലെ തന്നെഗീന്‍ കാര്‍ഡുള്ളവര്‍ ഇപ്പോള്‍ നാട്ടിലുണ്ടെങ്കില്‍ അവര്‍ക്ക് പ്രശ്‌നം ഒന്നുമില്ല. എച്ച്-1 വിസയുള്ളവര്‍ക്കുംപ്രശ്‌നമില്ലെന്നു കരുതുന്നു. എന്നാല്‍ എച്ച്-1 പുതുക്കാന്‍ പോയവര്‍ക്ക് അത് അത് പുതുക്കി നല്കി എന്നു വരില്ല. അമേരിക്കന്‍ പൗരന്മാരുടെ മാതാപിതാക്കള്‍ക്കോ ഭാര്യക്കോ ഗ്രീന്‍ കാര്‍ഡില്‍ വരാന്‍ തടസമുണ്ടാവില്ല. ആരോഗ്യ രംഗത്തു പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കുന്നവര്‍ക്കും ഒഴിവുകള്‍ ലഭിക്കും.

ജെ-1 എക്സ്ചേഞ്ച് വിസിറ്റേഴ്സിനെയും ഇത് ബാധിക്കും. കാര്‍ഷികേതര കാര്യങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് എച്ച്-2 ഹ്രസ്വകാല വിസയും നല്‍കില്ല. അതേ കമ്പനിയില്‍ തന്നെ സ്ഥലം മാറി വരുന്നവര്‍ക്ക് നല്‍കുന്നതാണ് എല്‍.-1 വിസ.

എച്ച്-1, എല്‍.-1 വിസകള്‍ ഏറ്റവും കൂടുതല്‍ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നത് ഇന്ത്യാക്കാരാണ്. അതിനാല്‍ ഈ തീരുമാനം ഇന്ത്യക്കു തിരിച്ചടിയായി.

ഒരു വര്‍ഷം 85000 എച്ച്-1 വിസ ആണു അനുവദിക്കുന്നത്. അതില്‍ നല്ലൊരു പങ്ക് ഇന്ത്യാക്കാര്‍ക്കാണു ലഭിക്കുന്നത്. അതാണു തല്ക്കാലം ഇല്ലാതാകുന്നത്
see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration/

Trump freezes H-1B visas; revamp plans may hit Indian outplacement firms 

BY ARUL LOUIS

New York, June 23 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has suspended till the end of the year the H-1B visas prized by Indian professionals and announced a far-reaching reform plan that could deal a blow to Indian companies that place technology workers in US companies.

The freeze ordered by Trump on Monday will not affect those already in the US on the H-1B and the other work visa categories being put on pause.

Making the announcement, the White House said that Trump wants to reform the immigration system to a "merit-based" one.

Briefing reporters about the reform plan, a senior official said that one of its features would ban companies from bringing in employees on H-1B visas and outplace them to work in other US companies.

Many Indian -- and some US -- companies that act as subcontractors sponsoring workers on H-1B visas and deputing them once they are in the US to work elsewhere could see their business model hit.

The official said that another reform would change the way the 85,000 annual H-1B visas are given from the current lottery system to one where the wages will determine who gets them.

Those offered the most wages will get priority instead of those hitting "a lucky number" in the lottery, the official said.

Indians are the single largest group of H1-B visa-holders accounting for nearly 74 per cent of the work visas.

The official said that Trump wants the wage structure for H-1B visas to be changed from the current one set during the administration of former President Bill Clinton, and the new minimum will be the 50th percentile of the national income.

That is the median income or the middle of the range and is currently $63,000, according to the Census Bureau.

The official said that Trump wants the changes made as soon as possible "will do so by regulation as soon as we possibly can."

When Trump imposed a 60-day pause on permanent immigrant visas or green cards on April 22, the H-1B and other temporary work visas escaped the freeze but are now affected.

The green card restrictions, which do not apply to spouses and children of immigrants, will also now continue until the end of the year.

The White House announcement of the new freeze said that it would also encompass H-2B, H-4, L-1 and J-1 visas.

However, those in the healthcare field and those considered important for national security will be exempt and continue to receive visas, as will farmworkers and nannies.

The White House linked the freeze to the high unemployment level in the US because of the COVID-19 blow to the economy saying that the pause is to "ensure we continue putting American workers first during our ongoing coronavirus recovery."

The official said the pause would help workers already in the country get access to more than 525,000 jobs.

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a justification for Trump's longtime intent to restrict immigration, a demand of a part of his base as well as of some in the Democratic Party who have reservations about the impact of immigration on wages.

The economic disruption caused by the pandemic has led to a groundswell of opposition among Americans to immigration and foreign workers with various polls showing more than two-thirds supporting restrictions.

On the other hand, US businesses -- particularly in the Silicon Valley -- have opposed restrictions on the visas and asserted that they would, in fact, affect the nation's economy, where immigrants and those on work visas have disproportionately been founders of companies, besides holding up America's global leadership in technology.

The Indian government considers restrictions on H-1B an important issue and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in December that he had told US officials that the visas "should not be obstructed" or "unreasonable legislative provisions should not constrain" them.

H-2B visas are for non-professional workers. An exemption is be made for agricultural labour in this category on whom the US food supply depends, the official said.

Similarly, in the J-1 category nannies or au pairs -- who are employed by the elite across the political spectrum -- are exempt, while it would apply to scholars and researchers except those in certain health or specialised fields or are professors.

The H-4 visas are for spouses of H-1B workers and the restrictions are linked.

Employees transferred by their companies to work in the US are given L-1 visas.

Under new rules announced on Monday by the immigration service, asylum applicants cannot apply for work authorisation for a year instead of the current 150 days.

Explaining the rationale for the proposed reforms to the H-1B visa system, the official said that last year there were 225,000 applicants for the 85,000 slots and the lottery determined who got them.

The applicants with the top 85,000 wage offers would get the H-1B visas in the switch to a system based on income.

Basing the visas on the highest wages offered will help determine who will contribute the most to the US economy, the official said.

The official said, "This will drive both the wage level and the skill level of the H-1B applicants up. It will eliminate competition with Americans, it will reduce American competition in these industries at the entry-level, and will do more to get the best and the brightest."

Regarding the proposal to ban outplacement, the official gave the examples of Disney or AT&T where subcontracting companies sent in workers who "end up displacing American workers."

The official said that these two companies "infamously had their American citizen employees training their H-1B replacements as their last act" before being laid off.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)

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JACOB 2020-06-22 16:41:58
With so much protests and looting going on in America, Indians will be safer in India and enjoy all the benefits of socialism and government guaranteed health care. Why come to America and be unhappy?
Eapachi 2020-06-22 20:20:11
JACOB 2020-06-22 16:41:58 With so much protests and looting going on in America, Indians will be safer in India and enjoy all the benefits of socialism and government guaranteed health care. Why come to America and be unhappy? എന്നാ പിന്നെ ജേക്കബ് സാറിന് തിരിച്ചു പൊയ്‌ക്കോടെ .... അത് പിന്നെ ഇനി ആരും ഇങ്ങോട്ടു വരണ്ട .. എനിക്ക് ശേഷം പ്രളയം .. ഉളുപ്പ് ലേശം ആവാം ..
BOCAJ 2020-06-22 21:03:18
Why can't you go back brother? We are citizen's of America and we know how to handle the current situation. Vote Trump out.
truth and justice 2020-06-23 07:48:03
Lots of people are unhappy about the current situation and the Administration.God is in control of the world and whatever it happens with God knowledge.When I analyze I see that things will be okey soon. Never disappoint and pray for the president and he is good for the economy of the country and he tells the leaders the truth.Thats why people hate him. You and I are the same .If we tell the truth to anyone they dont like it.
Eaappachi 2020-06-23 08:06:29
Why can't you go back brother? We are citizen's of America and we know how to handle the current situation. Vote Trump out. ഇപ്പോൾ വിസയിൽ വരുന്നവർ നാളെ ഗ്രീൻ കാർഡോ സിറ്റിസൺസ് ആവും .. അല്ലാണ്ട് ഇയാള് മാത്രമല്ല സിറ്റിസൺ .. ഇയാൾക്ക് മാത്രേ അമേരിക്ക സിറ്റിസൺഷിപ് തരൂ എന്നില്ലാലോ..
മലയാളത്തില്‍ ടൈപ്പ് ചെയ്യാന്‍ ഇവിടെ ക്ലിക്ക് ചെയ്യുക