IMMIGRATION BAN AND ITS IMPACT

Context:

United States President Donald Trump announced on Monday, on Twitter, that he would be using an executive order to suspend legal immigration into the U.S. for 60 days. The White House has indicated that the time limit could be extended depending on conditions on the ground.

Why has Mr. Trump taken such a step?

Economy has ground to a virtual halt in the face of the pandemic.
Proposals to restrict immigration served Mr. Trump’s campaign well during the 2016 presidential election, particularly when they were situated in the context of protecting jobs for U.S. workers. Mr. Trump is seeking re-election in the November 2020 election against the presumptive Democratic nominee, former U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden.

What does it mean for visa applicants?

The order is not expected to halt visa processing for many thousands of temporary employees, including a sizeable number of Indian nationals in the H-1B skilled worker category; agricultural workers classified under the H-2A visa; and seasonal workers, who fall into the H-2B category.

Exemptions are given to:

Essential workers, including those in health care and who have a critical role to play in fighting the pandemic.
Who seek to immigrate via their immediate relatives. This includes spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens applying for green cards, or permanent residency.
Members of the armed forces, those who are immigrating for law enforcement reasons and are already in the pipeline, and those on the EB-5 programme, which requires individuals to invest at least $500,000 in U.S. real estate projects, will be considered.

Could there be any impact on skilled workers from India?

The U.S. State Department announced in March 2020 that it would be suspending all routine visa processing at its consulates and embassies abroad; this has not only dampened the pace of visa issuance but it has also slowed legal immigration considerably.
So far as skilled workers seeking the H-1B visa are concerned, similar conditions apply. U.S. visa issuance in all countries, not only in India, has ground to a halt.
This has left many H-1B visa-seekers in the lurch in India, and that could have an economically debilitating impact on the Indian IT and Information Technology Enabled Service (ITeS) sectors.

Source: TH

Join Our Telegram

Herbal Decongest Spray for masks-National Ayush Mission

Coronavirus | Why pathogens travel in search of a host

Public Interest Litigation

07 May, 26
SHARE

The increasing scrutiny of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in India highlights a growing tension between its role as a tool for constitutional justice and its emerging misuse for non-public or extraneous purposes. While PIL has significantly expanded access to justice under Article 21, concerns have emerged regarding its distortion, judicial o

Supreme Court on Hate Speech

07 May, 26
SHARE

The Supreme Court of India recently observed that hate speech, driven by an “us versus them” mindset, poses a serious threat to the constitutional values of fraternity, equality, and social harmony. The Court emphasized that the major issue is not the absence of laws but the poor implementation of existing legal provisions. Therefor

India’s Fiscal Outlook

08 May, 26
SHARE

The Ministry of Finance, in its recent Monthly Economic Review, has expressed concern over the fiscal health of several Indian states. The report warns that states with high revenue deficits, rising debt burdens, and heavy interest payment obligations may struggle to cope with future fiscal shocks or economic slowdowns. Fiscal Position of th

Abortion Law for Minor Rape Survivors

08 May, 26
SHARE

Recent Judicial Development The Supreme Court has urged the Union government to consider amending India’s abortion law to remove rigid time limits in cases involving minor rape victims. This observation came while the Court declined to entertain a curative petition filed by the government challenging a recent judgment that allowed a 15

NSO Survey on Health

05 May, 26
SHARE

The National Statistical Office (NSO) 80th Round Survey on Household Consumption on Health provides a detailed assessment of India’s healthcare access, morbidity patterns, and financial burden of health expenditure. The findings highlight a paradoxical situation where healthcare access has improved significantly, but financial vulnerabili