MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday stressed that talent mobility benefits both India and the United States , creating opportunities for Indian professionals while providing American companies access to skilled workers who contribute to innovation, research and productivity.
His remarks came amid the US Department of Labor’s suspension of applications under the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) programme for certain companies. However, he noted that the decision could have some impact on the permanent residency or green card process for eligible employees of the affected companies. “While it creates opportunities for Indians, it equally benefits U.S. companies by providing access to cutting-edge talent, innovation, research, productivity, competitiveness, and job creation.
The move will not affect the validity of H-1B visas held by Indians or the status of visa holders’ dependents, but could impact the green card process for eligible employees, Jaiswal said. “Regarding the comments made by the US Vice President, let me say that we believe such descriptions are unwarranted and ignore the fact that Indian professionals in the United States are highly educated and skilled contributors to its economy and innovation ecosystem,” he said.
