Amid rising debates over H-1B visas, with US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk sharing their views, Nasscom, India's apex body for the technology industry, has clarified that H-1B visas do not influence immigration policies but rather address the essential skills gap in the US. The industry body emphasised that technology will continue to be the backbone of the US economy, particularly in fostering economic growth.
Nasscom Vice President Shivendra Singh strongly refuted the notion that H-1B workers are "cheap labour" or that they replace American workers or depress wages. He sought to allay concerns surrounding the impact of President Trump's latest orders on the flow of Indian tech professionals to the US. Singh told PTI that Nasscom remains optimistic about the growth of the Indian IT industry, stressing that India and its talent play a pivotal role in the US economy's growth.
Nasscom's comments come amid increasing apprehension over the implications of Trump's policies, particularly the potential effects on India's $250 billion export-driven IT sector, which generates a significant portion of its revenue from the US market.
President Trump, starting his second term with a series of executive orders, quickly moved to challenge long-standing immigration policies, including the controversial birthright citizenship rule, which grants automatic citizenship to children born in the US to non-citizen parents. Many are concerned that this move could impact children of H-1B visa holders and other visa categories, including green card holders and temporary visa holders.
Trump also reiterated his warning to impose 100% tariffs on countries within the BRICS bloc, including India, if they attempt to replace the US dollar.
Despite these developments, Singh expressed confidence in the continued role of technology in driving US economic growth. He stated, "We see huge potential for win-win partnerships with the Indian tech industry, given the Trump administration's efforts to generate more wealth for the US economy."
Highlighting the contributions of the Indian IT industry to the US, Singh noted that Indian companies have invested $1.1 billion in local upskilling programs in the US, positively impacting 2.9 million students and upskilling 255,000 employees. "We are working with over 130 universities and colleges to upskill locally and hire locally," he said.
Singh also pointed out that while Indian IT companies account for just 8.5% of the 85,000 available H-1B tech visas, the fact that 70% of these visas go to Indian nationals underscores the demand for Indian skill sets. "This demonstrates the critical role Indian talent plays in both the US and Indian industries," he added.
