By suspending foreign work visas till the end of 2020, the US has put Indian IT professionals at a disadvantage, even while freeing up more than five lakh jobs in the US for locals.
Non-immigrant visas — such as H-1B, H-4, H-2B visa, J and L— have been suspended. As a result, at least 5,25,000 jobs will be freed up in the US, that too at a time, when the economy is focussing on recovering.
The Department of Homeland Security has been directed to eliminate work permits of those who have final orders of removal or are deportable. This move itself will free up over 50,000 jobs annually, for the locals.
This step is part of the ‘America first’ recovery effort to ensure that American workers are given first priority while the economy, reeling from the impact of the pandemic, tries to get back to normal.
According to the White House, by putting a check on new immigrant visas until December 2020, the US is ensuring that Americans are given first preference while hiring, as businesses prepare to resume operations. In addition, by putting a stop to job-related non-immigrant visas, which are not connected to the food-supply chain, more jobs have been preserved for American citizens.
This is President Trump’s endeavour to ensure that American workers who have been rendered jobless due to the economic effects of the pandemic, do not lose out on opportunities to foreign workers. Trump has the support of many American citizens when he points out that allowing too many foreign nationals to work in the country will only put its own citizens at a disadvantage at a time when unemployment is at an all-time high.
A majority of the local population is of the view that mass immigration is a big threat.
