Wage-weighted' US visa plan is legally dodgy, disruptive

IT industry body Nasscom has termed the US government's move to replace the H-1B work visa lottery with a new "wage-weighted" system as legally questionable, economically flawed, and operationally disruptive.

In response to consultations by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Nasscom warned that the new system creates geographic and sectoral inequality. For instance, an employee at Level 2 wage in New York could be placed higher than Level 4 in Iowa, it said.

There are also possibilities to game the system; it might encourage inflated salaries on paper to get more lottery entries, Nasscom said.

"For nearly two decades, US employers have structured their hiring cycles, budgeting, and project timelines around the existing random lottery framework. A sudden shift to a wage-weighted model would upend these long-standing expectations," Rajesh Nambiar, president, Nasscom, said in a written submission to the DHS on October 30, a copy of which was seen by ET. He said companies plan recruitment months in advance, coordinating with clients, academic calendars, and product release cycles. "Introducing variable selection probabilities based on fluctuating wage formulas would add layers of compliance complexity," he added.

Source: EconomicTimes
Related Posts: What did Samay Raina say on his show that Supreme Court termed ‘insensitive’ Nasscom seeks one-time customs amnesty for software exporters Trump's Additional 25% Tariff Move On India Sparks Backlash From Industry Industry body seeks stakeholder meeting in letter to Karnataka govt Industry body CAIT asks finance ministry to reduce GST on carbonated drinks Space industry seeks assured government demand Body of Pak National Handed Over At LoC In Rare Cross-Border Humanitarian Move Big move by Modi government as Centre plans to launch central bank digital currency (CBDC) Trump, Schumer move towards deal to avert US government shutdown, NYT says Government body to send notice to CSDS for Maharashtra polls data error