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H1-B cap to be 'raised' for students

There is a glimmer of hope for Indian students studying abroad , especially those who intend to work in the US after completing their higher studies.

Representative Lamar Smith has introduced a bill, the American Workforce Improvement and Jobs Protection Act (HR 4166) in the US house of representatives.

The bill is being co-sponsored by five other representatives. If passed, the annual H1-B cap of 65,000 would not apply to applicants who have received a masters or higher degree from an American institution of higher learning. This exemption would be limited to 20,000 visas. Indian students accounted for nearly 13% of all foreign students in the US. In ‘02-03, there were 74,603 Indian students in American universities and colleges. Of these, 78.2% were graduate students.

In a sense, the proposed legislation will effectively “extend” the H-1B cap by 20,000 workers per year. Those co-sponsoring the bill are: John Carter, Jeff Flake, Steve Chabot, Bob Goodlatte, and Howard McKeon. The proposed bill incorporates legislation proposed by Senator Saxby Chambliss (S 1635), which would modify the L visa category.

Among the changes proposed by the Smith bill is the reinstating of the $1,000 H-1B training fee and the attestations required of H-1B-dependent employers. The bill suggests that these clauses be made permanent. Both clauses expired in September ‘03.

It proposes the imposition of a new “fraud detection and prevention fee” of $500 for H-1B and L visa applications . The bill also asks for permanent reinstating of the investigative authority of the US department of labour (DOL), which also came to an end in September ‘03.

What makes the bill interesting is the change in Lamar Smith’s attitude to the H1-B visa holder. Smith has known to take conservative positions on immigration in the past, as the chairman of the US house subcommittee on immigration, of which he continues to be a member.

Source: H1-B cap to be 'raised' for students - The Economic Times

Good News, well especially for me,my brother still struggling to get a job.