India Fears Loss Of A 'True Friend' As Trump Is Seen Tweaking Visa Norms

We are the spouses of H1B visa holders who have been waiting for their green cards. We are highly educated, highly skilled and have been working solely on our merit. We pay taxes and contribute to US economy. We are H4EAD holders. Don’t take away our right to work.

So goes the tweet by Megha Sethi on the micro blogging site after news of the President Donald Trump-led US government plans to end allowing spouses of H1-B visa holders to work legally in the US surfaced on April 23. Sethi’s sentiments are shared by thousands of spouses of Indian migrants, who are working in the US. The move by “True Friend” Trump has come as a blot from the blue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the fifth world leader who received a telephone call from Trump after he swore in as the new US President last year. In a 'warm conversation', Trump reportedly told Modi that India was a 'true friend'. Trump’s promises of true friendship are seen being weakened by his strong desire to fulfill his ‘buy American, hire American’ dreams.

What happens now?

Spouses of Indians who in the US on H-4 visa may lose their work permit and will those with startup visas. Of the 100,000 H-4 visa holders in that country, 90 per cent are Indians.

Earlier, spouses of H1-B visa holders could not work in the country if their better-halves were seeking a permanent residency (PR) .

Considering it usually took a long time to gain a PR status, the previous Obama administration granted spouses of H1-B visa holders a breather. Through a special order, the Obama government allowed them to work in the US. Now, this provision might be cancelled.

"Our plans include proposing regulatory changes to remove H-4 dependent spouses from the class of aliens eligible for employment authorisation, thereby reversing the 2015 final rule that granted such eligibility,” US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Francis Cissna was quoted by the media as saying. The idea is to “protect the interests of US workers in the administration of our immigration system”.

Meanwhile, H1-B visas are dropping

Between 2015 and 17, H1-B approvals have dropped by 43 per cent. Only 8,468 H1-B petitions were approved in the financial year 2017. In FY15, as many as 14,792 H1-B visas applications were approved.

Keeping the jobs safe

Trump's America-first policy is being seen as a danger to Indians working in that country on a H1-B visa. A 2015 report suggested that almost 86 per cent of H1-B visa holders in the US were Indians. Since job statuses can make or break almost every purchase decision, for many back home in India, Trump’s failure to be a 'true friend' would be devastating.

Losing a friend like India

Irking India may not be a bright idea for Trump either.Politics aside, any business-oriented nation will find in India a strategic partner that offers great opportunities with its growing population, skilled workforce and a market for everything — from chips and laptops to real estate.

Take the case of Trump Organization.

The company considers India as it largest market outside North America. Most people who invest in their uber-luxury projects which is priced much higher than similar projects by domestic players are generally bought by non-residents who are making big bucks outside of that country. Trump's company makes a lot of money from the Indian property market through licensing fees alone—the company does not really build the project; it merely lends a property its signature.

But changes in visa structures in the US might upset the jobs market, indirectly impacting real estate of both countries. Meanwhile, outbursts on social media show that affected Indians are also calling for civil liberties lawsuit.