24 June, Kathmandu:
Noting the high U.S. unemployment rate and the need to protect American’s jobs, on June 22, 2020, US President Donald Trump announced restrictions on American visas to foreigners until end of December.
The ban includes work visas that many companies use, especially in the technology sector, landscaping services and the forestry industry. Unlike, it excludes agricultural laborers, health-care professionals supporting the pandemic response and food-service employees.
The ban will stop foreign workers from filling 525,000 jobs, according to the administration’s estimates. The measures will apply only to applicants seeking to come to the United States, not workers who already are on U.S.
US issues 85,000 ‘H1-B’ visas every year. Among them, 70 percent visa recipients are Indians. From this decision, it seems that Indian information technology companies and their staffs will be affected due to suspension of ‘H1-B’ visas.
Meanwhile, critics of the decision say the president is using the public health crisis to carry out the border closures.
The respective decision does not apply to existing green card holders, spouses and children of US citizens, those who are already residing in the US on temporary work visas or their derivative visas.