How will the proposed H1B changes impact your business strategy?

Many technology companies have been worried about the proposed changes to the H1B Visa since President Trump took office. Let’s begin by defining the H1B Visa program.
What is a H1B Visa and how do I apply?
The H1B visa allows foreigners to be employed by companies for up to six years. This visa is designed to help companies hire foreigners for positions they are unable or unwilling to fill. The H1B visa holders are required to earn $60,000 annually as the minimum salary. Holders of H1B visas are permitted to apply for permanent residence in the USA and also buy or sell property in the US.
The US government grants 65,000 H1B visas each year. An additional 20,000 are granted to students who have completed their master’s degree from a US university. They are entitled to an additional 5,400 and 1,400 visas in the H-1B1 category according to the Free Trade Agreements between the US and Singapore and Chile. (gadgets.ndtv.com)
Who uses H1B Visas
H1B Visas are most commonly used in specialty occupations that are related to Department of Defense cooperative development, Project Workers, Service Workers such as Fashion Models, and high-skilled technical workers. Many of these workers can be found in the I.T. field. (www.uscsi.gov)
Many companies have successfully used the H1B visa program for high-quality talent acquisition. Businesses have flourished as a result. Others have been accused in the misuse of the system to hire labor cheaper than the American worker. Here’s a list of the Top 10 Sponsors of H1B Visas in 2017:
Rank
H1B Visa Sponsor
*Number of LCAs
Average Salary
1
Infosys
25,405
$81,705
2
Capgemini
17,479
$93,213
3
Tata Consultancy Services
13,134
$76,099
4
IBM
12,381
$87,378
5
Wipro
10,607
$72,720
6
Accenture
9,479
$81,585
7
Tech Mahindra (Americas)
8,615
$75,879
8
Deloitte Consulting
7,645
$122,667
9
Cognizant Technology Solutions
5,370
$74,628
10
Microsoft
5,029
$129,610
http://www.myvisajobs.com/Reports/2017-H1B-Visa-Sponsor.aspx
What are the Proposed Changes to H1B Visa Program
The High-Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act of 2017 proposes changes to the H1B Visa Program. Representatives of Congress have briefed us on the proposed changes to the H1B Visa program. They include:Resets the annual wage exemption from $60,000 (settled in 1998) to $130,000. Requires dependent employers to use H1B Visas to adjust the compensation and make attestations regarding the recruitment and non-displacement U.S. workers.
Many analysts, economists, and businesses have been discussing how this will impact our economy and businesses. We have received feedback from many of our clients who are or have participated in the H1B Visa programs. Here are the views of industry experts:
“Indigenous IT companies such as Infosys and TCS, Wipro (HCL, Igate, Cognizant), as well as global giants like IBM, Accenture Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are among the largest recipients of H1Bvisas every year. They will have to pay significantly more for highly-skilled foreign workers if this bill is passed. Gadgets 360: “The visa reform may even create a gap between demand and supply of talent for smaller businesses that cannot afford to incur high costs to hire skilled workers.” Scott Peters, Congressman. We knew it would start in some form. This bill has just been introduced in Congress. We will continue to watch what the new President does. We will need to adapt if the bill passes. An executive from a large IT company stated that the industry has already begun to hire onshore, so that will increase.” He declined to identify himself. He declined to be identified. Vinu George, an analyst at JPMorgan, stated that he would not accept a higher minimum H1B wage. “In fact, most tier-1 Indian IT companies pay their H1B workers well above the specified thresholds and have substantially moved towards eliminating the wage differentials between US locals/green cards holders in their workforce.” How can you stay ahead of these changes?
2017 will see many organizations need to do more with less. Businesses are making strategic moves due to rising wages and regulations from the government. New Horizons, our clients and partners, are committed to helping your business remain competitive, attract top talent, and be a leader within your market. We believe in developing and training our team to help them succeed. We want to do the exact same for you. You can find what you need, when you want, from over 50 authorized vendors.
As expenses, innovation, and recruiting drive the economy, budgets are shrinking. We can help you with budget development and budget management by working together with your partners:
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