H-1B restrictions a temporary thing: Mulford

The US on Sunday said there should be no cause for concern over the Congress decision barring firms receiving bailout money from hiring foreigners through H-1B visas, bulk of which is accounted for by Indian professionals, saying it is a “temporary political thing.”

The US on Sunday said there should be no cause for concern over the Congress decision barring firms receiving bailout money from hiring foreigners through H-1B visas, bulk of which is accounted for by Indian professionals, saying it is a “temporary political thing.”

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"I think that’s a temporary politaical thing...H1B visas will remain intact and they will continue to be heavily used,” US Ambassador to India David C Mulford said when asked by reporters for his response to a Congress rider to the stimulus package on bailed out companies disaallowed from replacing laid off locals with H-1B workers.

“They have made some changes in legislation. We have to see what that is. But I think that the ceiling prescribed by the Congress has not been changed,” said Mulford at a function to create awareness about early detection of cancer.

The US has capped the H1-B visa at 65,000 a year, out of which 40,000-45,000 generally goes to Indian professionals, mostly from the IT industry.

Restricting hiring of H1-B visa holders forms part of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, widely known as the stimulus bill, that was passed by the Congress on Friday.