US immigration bill could increase visa limit

US flagAt a time when worries are growing among Indian information technology firms in regards to the proposed US law that would restrict H-1B visas, Som Mittal, the President of Nasscom (the software service industry body), claims that there are a number of provisions in the immigration bill that might, in fact, be of benefit to the industry.

“The immigration bill has many positive provisions in terms of increasing the visa, green card (limit) and so on,” Mittal says.  “But there are also restrictions that could impact our industry.  Before they even start impacting us I think the largest impact would be on our customers and the US economy.  The American customers who leverage the global value chain are the ones who are actually raising this issue with the Congressmen and others to change.”

Mittal adds that there are high hopes that there will not be any such restrictions in the independent House of Representatives bill that is coming up.  Mittal also refutes claims from some quarters that Nasscom has not done as much as it could on the issue, saying that those within the industry body have given their perspective and have been regularly working on it ever since the first draft of the legislation was revealed five months ago, back in January.

Miller points out that their lobbying on the immigration bill is not a one-time thing but that Nasscom will continue to be offering its perspective all the way up until the bill is enacted into law and that their companies are all also actively working on the issue.