Comments on: The H1-B visa program needs a revamp http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/ Basab Pradhan's weblog about business and life in a 'flat world'. 6 AM Pacific is the best time for a global conference call. Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:16:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: » Migration: you can’t stop it - II Youth Curry - Insight on Indian Youth http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-13866 » Migration: you can’t stop it - II Youth Curry - Insight on Indian Youth Sat, 24 May 2008 12:27:23 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-13866 [...] one may argue, as Basab Pradhan does, that for IT companies whose revenues come chiefly from the US, H1-B visas are like ‘raw [...] […] one may argue, as Basab Pradhan does, that for IT companies whose revenues come chiefly from the US, H1-B visas are like ‘raw […]

]]> By: Vick http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6470 Vick Fri, 01 Jun 2007 14:57:16 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6470 One more point about lower H1-B visas applied by TCS - TCS tends to do a lot of L1's in lieu of H1's. Not sure how the L1 levels are at Infy or Wipro. Would be interesting to see a L1 graphic. For example, at one of the clients that I went to, there were lot of TCS'ers but all of them were on L1 (have seen this at multiple clients). One more point about lower H1-B visas applied by TCS - TCS tends to do a lot of L1’s in lieu of H1’s. Not sure how the L1 levels are at Infy or Wipro. Would be interesting to see a L1 graphic. For example, at one of the clients that I went to, there were lot of TCS’ers but all of them were on L1 (have seen this at multiple clients).

]]> By: Anonymous http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6276 Anonymous Fri, 25 May 2007 18:40:36 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6276 Wipro and other companies raised the salary of thier US employees by 30% by taking surety that they wont leave for one year. Reality is all these companies use all bad tactics to keep their employees happy, they revolve them on the surety that every year they would get one trip at least to US and they should stay with company instead of jumping to rival in India itself. Hard truth is that this is hurting everyone, to those who are here in US since years and still dont have Green cards as numbers are so high that USCIS is not processing them and those who plan to come under merit cant because of all this mess. Indian companies need to be more realistic and they need to work a solution which works for all. Wipro and other companies raised the salary of thier US employees by 30% by taking surety that they wont leave for one year. Reality is all these companies use all bad tactics to keep their employees happy, they revolve them on the surety that every year they would get one trip at least to US and they should stay with company instead of jumping to rival in India itself. Hard truth is that this is hurting everyone, to those who are here in US since years and still dont have Green cards as numbers are so high that USCIS is not processing them and those who plan to come under merit cant because of all this mess. Indian companies need to be more realistic and they need to work a solution which works for all.

]]> By: Basab http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6181 Basab Wed, 16 May 2007 14:33:18 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6181 Very interesting Shefaly. I think this is in response the the New York times article. The numbers were so lop-sided in favour of the IT Services players that it must have caught the attention of the pols. Interestingly, Accenture, Cognizant and Delloitte have not been sent letters. Why? They are all seemingly "American" companies but they aren't. Accenture is incorporated in Bermuda for tax reasons, though their hq is in the US. Cognizant is incorproated and hqed in the US but runs only the offshore model and so their workforce probably looks like Infosys or Wipro's. Very interesting Shefaly.

I think this is in response the the New York times article. The numbers were so lop-sided in favour of the IT Services players that it must have caught the attention of the pols.

Interestingly, Accenture, Cognizant and Delloitte have not been sent letters. Why? They are all seemingly “American” companies but they aren’t. Accenture is incorporated in Bermuda for tax reasons, though their hq is in the US. Cognizant is incorproated and hqed in the US but runs only the offshore model and so their workforce probably looks like Infosys or Wipro’s.

]]> By: Shefaly http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6172 Shefaly Tue, 15 May 2007 15:50:01 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6172 Basab, interesting development. What do you make of this? http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9719351-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5 Basab, interesting development. What do you make of this?

http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9719351-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5

]]> By: Anshuman http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6166 Anshuman Tue, 15 May 2007 02:23:16 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6166 Brijesh's questions are very pertinent and valid. I agree with basab's reasoning to the question. But there is more to it. First Infosys and Wipro will not spend huge H1b fee (amounting to 2-3 million dollars unnecssarily as it would turn out to be revenue drain.Moreover in India's competitive job environment it would be difficult for companies to dangle the carrot of H1B to employees and not sending them to US. Second, TCS has more employees than Infy and Wipro and keeping in mind that there's hardly any difference between the process maturity as has been pointed out by Shefali. Its difficult to understand that they will have lesser number of employees in US. TCS majorly process L1 Visas instead of H1B.This serves two purposes 1.Employees on L1 can't switch companies as a H1B holder can do 2.TCS need not run the mad race of H1B visas. So why Infy or wipro dont follow the same route? The answer is By definition,L1 visas are for Subject Matter experts which a 6 month or 1 year expereince employee can rarely become. Hence If Infy or Wipro needs to send an employee with 1 year experince, the ideal choice is H1B and not L1 while same logic is not being considered by some companies like TCS. But important thing is that H1B visas have made American Economy very competetive. Why we dont have H1B visas in India? We can also attract jobseekers from South Africa,Srilanka,Indonesia,Iran to satiate IT companies employment needs and create bigger talent pool available at reasonable cost. Brijesh’s questions are very pertinent and valid.
I agree with basab’s reasoning to the question. But there is more to it.
First Infosys and Wipro will not spend huge H1b fee (amounting to 2-3 million dollars unnecssarily as it would turn out to be revenue drain.Moreover in India’s competitive job environment it would be difficult for companies to dangle the carrot of H1B to employees and not sending them to US.

Second, TCS has more employees than Infy and Wipro and keeping in mind that there’s hardly any difference between the process maturity as has been pointed out by Shefali. Its difficult to understand that they will have lesser number of employees in US.
TCS majorly process L1 Visas instead of H1B.This serves two purposes
1.Employees on L1 can’t switch companies as a H1B holder can do
2.TCS need not run the mad race of H1B visas.

So why Infy or wipro dont follow the same route?
The answer is By definition,L1 visas are for Subject Matter experts which a 6 month or 1 year expereince employee can rarely become.
Hence If Infy or Wipro needs to send an employee with 1 year experince, the ideal choice is H1B and not L1 while same logic is not being considered by some companies like TCS.

But important thing is that H1B visas have made American Economy very competetive.
Why we dont have H1B visas in India? We can also attract jobseekers from South Africa,Srilanka,Indonesia,Iran to satiate IT companies employment needs and create bigger talent pool available at reasonable cost.

]]> By: Yuva http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6110 Yuva Wed, 09 May 2007 09:03:28 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6110 yes, visa reform is required for benefit of U.S. economy http://fuel2economy.blogspot.com/2007/04/us-immigrants-future-entrepreneurs.html yes, visa reform is required for benefit of U.S. economy
http://fuel2economy.blogspot.com/2007/04/us-immigrants-future-entrepreneurs.html

]]> By: Shubh - Hub » H1B: Things are not perfect in US http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6075 Shubh - Hub » H1B: Things are not perfect in US Fri, 04 May 2007 07:10:02 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6075 [...] Companies like Infosys and Wipro and a lot more companies get their employees H1B visa, just in case they need to go to US. What the …. the image has been taken from an article in New York times where I got through a blog entry about H1B’s by Basab Pradhan. Why do these companies need an H1B to go to US? They can very well take their employees in US on L1 visa since they send only experienced people to US (and I am assuming these people have worked in the company for atleast an year) or B1 visa. They just won’t understand and will manipulate the system. [...] […] Companies like Infosys and Wipro and a lot more companies get their employees H1B visa, just in case they need to go to US. What the …. the image has been taken from an article in New York times where I got through a blog entry about H1B’s by Basab Pradhan. Why do these companies need an H1B to go to US? They can very well take their employees in US on L1 visa since they send only experienced people to US (and I am assuming these people have worked in the company for atleast an year) or B1 visa. They just won’t understand and will manipulate the system. […]

]]> By: Anil http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6055 Anil Sun, 29 Apr 2007 20:21:13 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6055 I completely agree with Brijech here that Infy, Wipro are trying to retain staff. I just came to know from an insider that Wipro has filed H1 B visas for all thier employees in a particular practice (for which the count runs in hundreds) for a specific project even though the requirement is only for 2 persons. And those 2 persons are already in US under L1. In order to check the attrition rate and retain staff these orgs have applied visas left and right. This is nothing but cramping up the space for well deserving candidates and organisations. I completely agree with Brijech here that Infy, Wipro are trying to retain staff. I just came to know from an insider that Wipro has filed H1 B visas for all thier employees in a particular practice (for which the count runs in hundreds) for a specific project even though the requirement is only for 2 persons. And those 2 persons are already in US under L1.

In order to check the attrition rate and retain staff these orgs have applied visas left and right. This is nothing but cramping up the space for well deserving candidates and organisations.

]]> By: Siddharth http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6050 Siddharth Sat, 28 Apr 2007 01:32:35 +0000 http://6ampacific.com/2007/04/21/the-h1-b-visa-program-needs-a-revamp/#comment-6050 Note - Stay limit on L1 is 5 years, and H1 is 6 years. Note - Stay limit on L1 is 5 years, and H1 is 6 years.

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