The US plans major overhaul in definition of employment, specialty occupations under H-1B visas. (File)
India is continuing to engage with the US over the H-1B visa, largely availed of by Indian IT companies, after the Trump administration proposed changes to the programme, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said today.
"It is a very important topic for us and that is the reason why we have time and again at various levels we have taken up this matter with the US side," Mr Raveesh Kumar said.
Mr Kumar said most recently, the issue was raised during the first ever India-US 2+2 Ministerial Meeting held in New Delhi last month that was attended by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis.
Stating that there are certain bills which have been introduced, Mr Kumar, however, said "it is important to note that none of these bills have been passed so far".
"When we have engaged with the US, we have emphasised that our partnership which we have in the digital sphere have been mutually beneficial," the spokesperson said.
"We have highlighted the role which has been played by the highly skilled Indian professionals who have actually contributed to the growth and development of the US economy," he added. "And also they have helped the US to maintain a competitive edge in the world towards innovation and science and technology."
On Wednesday, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plans to come out with its new proposal by January 2019.
The DHS said it was also proposing to remove from its regulations certain H-4 spouses of H-1B non-immigrants as a class of aliens eligible for employment authorisation.
The move to end the rule could have an impact on more than 70,000 H-4 visa holders, who have work permits.
The H-4 visas are issued by the USCIS to immediate family members (spouse and children under 21 years of age) of the holders of H-1B visa.
The DHS said it will propose to revise the definition of specialty occupation to increase focus on obtaining the best and the brightest foreign nationals via the H-1B programme.
It will also "revise the definition" of employment and employer-employee relationship to "better protect" US workers and wages, the DHS said.