In a major change, the U.S., President-elect Donald Trump had said that America will withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and an investigation will be launched into the visa abuses that had undercut American workers. Indian IT companies that use the H-1B visa to bring workers to America will be affected by this move.
“I am going to issue our notification of intent to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a potential disaster for our country. Instead, we will negotiate fair, bilateral trade deals that bring jobs and industry back onto American shores,” Mr. Trump said.
“My agenda will be based on a simple core principle, putting America First. Whether it’s producing steel, building cars or curing disease, I want the next generation of production and innovation to happen right here, in our great homeland, America – creating wealth and jobs for American workers,” said Mr. Trump.
Senator Bernie Sanders has said that he would go along with the incoming President on decisions that bring back jobs to America and help its middle class. The H-1B visa program that brings in 85,000 skilled workers to America every year – a large number of them from India – will be the target of investigation.
Critics of the H-1B program have argued that the companies are abusing the program to bring cheaper foreign workers to replace American workers. The U.S courts have repeatedly upheld the replacement of American workers with cheaper ones as legal, but the incoming leadership at the Justice Department with Mr. Sessions as AG would not let it pass easily.
By Premji
