Immigrants have made huge impact on US economy: Nasscom

Q: The arguments that have been presented to the US Senate committee by Jack Palmer, the whistle blower in the Infosys visa fraud case alleging that that H1-B visa route continues to be misused by Indian companies. How will Nasscom retaliate?

A: We do not respond to specific issues but company issues. On an overall basis the US economy has become powerful economy because it has attracted and welcomed skills and talents from across the world and the immigrants have made a huge contribution to the growth of the US economy and that is a proven fact.

Few pointers that he has raised does not hold any basis if you look at the high skilled workers, that is where we are talking about, it basically consists of the STEM workers, the science technology engineering and mathematics and they complement the US workers instead of replacing US workers. If you look at some of the statistics which goes on to show that very strongly and various statistics that the vacancies, the demand is far higher than what the supply is for these workers.

It is kind of one is to five and the unemployment figures is also pretty low, it is about 2.7 percent compared to about 5.5 percent overall, the national employment. So, all these points surely go on to show that it is an issue of talent and there is a huge talent shortage which is there in the US and H1-B high skilled workers from STEM fulfill that.

Q: If can also read out to you what Jack Palmer has said specifically in response to Nasscom’s statements. He says, “I’ve read statements from Nasscom stating that if the cap is not increased and with the current visa restrictions, the Indian economy will suffer let me ask the committee what about our economy? H1-B visa workers spend a minimal amount of money in the US and usually live 8 people to a room.” So, do you fear now that the anti-outsourcing rhetoric is going to gain ground again?

A: Well, the question that you asked is two fold. One of them is the fact of the personal lifestyle and that is something which I would not like to comment on but in terms of the pure legal process, all our companies follow the legal process and they apply for H1-Bs or any other kind of visa based very much on the system or the US government laws.

Depending on that they are very much a part of the whole process so, hence in terms of whether it is going to create a furor or not, obviously this is not good news because it is not a case of impacting the Indian economy, it is a case of impacting the pre-movement of talented people globally and impacting the laws of demand and supply and all companies and country people are welcomed in India as you know there is no barrier.

Q: Is Nasscom going to respond in any form or fashion to the arguments made in front of the Senate committee?

A: Well, that is something which the people have been called to respond by the Senate committee for this argument so we have continued to evolve and we continue to respond on an overall basis whether it is totalisation treaty where our people have to pay taxes which are not called for because they do not claim benefit of the social security which is a big issue which now has been recognized that it is a concern from the US side as well so we will continue to raise it at all the various forums which is there and raise those issues.