India has strongly raised the issue of H-1B and L1 visas with the United States. Union Minister Suresh Prabhu, after the first US-India talk at bilateral Trade Policy Forum, said the Indian side has explained to the US that the issue is being raised not because Indians will find it difficult but US economy itself will find it difficult to cope with the reality. In the forum also attended by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Mr Prabhu said, the US has immensely benefited by IT professionals penetrating into the market by offering services that have improved their productivity.
Meanwhile, the US and India have also agreed to address the issue of trade deficit by increasing and diversifying bilateral trade. The minister said, In the talk, India sought to ease procedures for export of mangoes and pomegranates to the US. He said this meeting has yielded positive results in the removal of barriers in the export of Indian mangoes to them.
Taking note of America’s concern on price controls on medical devices, Prabhu, during his meetings with Lighthizer on Thursday, encouraged US companies to take benefit of the Make in India policy and establish manufacturing facilities in India which would considerably bring down the cost.
Mr Prabhu said India has also sought cooperation from the US in certain technology sectors like artificial intelligence, electric vehicles and aviation.The US has tightened the norms for issuing the most sought-after H-1B and L1 visas in line with the Trump administration’s goal to protect American workers from discrimination and replacement by foreign labour.
In a new directive, the Trump administration this week made it more difficult for the renewal of H-1B and L1, popular among Indian IT professionals, saying that the burden of proof lies on the applicant even when an extension is sought.
