The USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) recently recommended for changes in H-2B Visa policy to solve the challenge of shortage of workers. One suggestion is reduction of time of waiting from six months to three months to apply for H-2B. However, US is worried of countries which are unreasonably delaying repatriation of their nationals from the US with deportation orders.

 

Also, the USCIS has identified eight countries India, China, Iran, Laos, Eritrea, Vietnam, Jamaica and Ethiopia whose governments are not cooperating with US with deportation orders. Interestingly, there has been demand from some Republican lawmakers for the suspension of Visas to countries that have refused to accept deported aliens from the United States.

 

Factually, the H-2B non-immigrant temporary worker program enables US employers hire foreign nationals to work in non-agricultural jobs. India would be a major beneficiary, in case there is any positive change in the program. India is major outsourcing place of non-agriculture workers. However, this time Homeland Security Department will be informed in case of H-2B workers’ failure to show up for work or absconding from the worksite.