The Biden administration will make it easier for Indians to live and work in the United States, using Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit this week to help some skilled workers enter or stay in the country. Reuters reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. From the report: The State Department may announce as soon as Thursday that a small number of Indian and other foreign workers on H-1B visas will be able to renew those visas in the U.S. without having to travel abroad, one of the sources said, part of a pilot program. which can be expanded in the coming years. Indian nationals are the most active users of the US H-1B program, accounting for 73% of the nearly 442,000 H-1B workers in fiscal year 2022.
[…] Each year, the U.S. government grants 65,000 H-1B visas to companies seeking skilled foreign workers, along with an additional 20,000 visas for workers with advanced degrees. Visas are valid for three years and can be renewed for another three years. Companies that have used the most H-1B workers in recent years include India-based Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services, as well as Amazon, Alphabet and Meta in the US, according to US government data. The ability for some of the temporary foreign workers to renew visas in the U.S. will free up resources for visa interviews at consulates abroad, the spokesman said. The pilot program will also include some workers on L-1 visas, which are available to people transferring within a company to a position in the U.S., one of the sources said.
