The Y-Axis Blog

By Daniel Politi for Slate

Posted Friday, Feb. 27, 2009, at 6:47 AM ET

President Obama presented his budget and left no doubt that he was being serious when he promised change. The $3.55 trillion spending plan included broad goals and few details, but outlined how Obama plans to finance more spending in health care, energy, and education while increasing the taxes on the top 5 percent of taxpayers, the oil and gas industry, and hedge fund managers, among others. In short: Bye, bye Reaganomics. The 134-page budget “is unprecedented in size, breathtaking in scope and sure to have a major impact on millions of Americans,” declares USA Today. The Wall Street Journal notes that the spending plan “marks a significant change in nearly 30 years of governing philosophy.”

By Bryan Palmer 

Canadian immigration has announced its ‘Opportunities Ontario Provincial Nominee Program’ (PNP) has been broadened to process twice the number of visa applications processed by the pilot scheme.

The pilot scheme for the programme was launched in May 2007 and the new official scheme will incorporate a category for employers and investors in Ontario who want to hire skilled workers from abroad and a category for Ontario businesses hoping to hire international graduates to work in Canada. 

Both categories have been widened to include a larger group of possible visa applications. Previously, businesses were only able to seek applicants in 20 specific occupations under the skilled worker category.

This is now the General Category and includes managerial and skilled foreign workers with at least two years experience in a larger range of industries. 

To fill post-graduate work permits, employers no longer have to seek students who have studied in a field relevant to the vacant position and can have studied in a university or college anywhere in Canada and hold no previous work experience. 

The required investment from investor visa applicants has been reduced to $3 million and the creation of five permanent Ontario jobs, down from a $10 million required investment and 25 new jobs. 

Ontario hopes that 1,000 nominees will become permanent residents in 2009. The PNP entitles nominees to priority processing for permanent residency.

1.       Infosys Technologies Limited  4559

2.       Wipro Limited  2678 

3.       Satyam Computer Services Limited  1917 

4.       Tata Consultancy Services Limited  1539 

5.       Microsoft Corp  1037 

6.       Accenture Llp  731 

7.       Cognizant Tech Solutions Us Corp  467 

8.       Cisco Systems Inc  422 

9.       Larsen & Toubro Infotech Limited  403 

10.   IBM India Private Limited  381 

11.   Intel Corp  351 

12.   Ernst & Young Llp  321 

13.   Patni Americas Inc  296 

14.   Terra Infotech Inc  281 

15.   Qualcomm Incorporated  255 

16.   Mphasis Corporation  251 

17.   Kpmg Llp  245 

18.   Prince Georges County Public Schs  239 

19.   Baltimore City Public Sch System  229 

20.   Deloitte Consulting Llp  218 

21.   Goldman Sachs & Co  211 

22.   Everest Business Solutions Inc  208 

23.   Verinon Technology Solutions Ltd  208 

24.   Google Inc  207

25.   East Baton Rouge Parish School Sys 205

Click here to see complete list

You’re ready to ditch the corporate life — or it may have ditched you — and start your own IT consultancy. The road can be rocky, seasoned veterans say, but the rewards are sweet. Here’s how to get started.

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Although Microsoft was the top U.S.-based recipient of H-1B visas in 2008, the largest users of the program remain the major Indian IT services outsourcing firms, according to government data.

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Among other things: Be specific about your skill set, but don’t list technologies that were popular 15 years ago unless they relate to the job you’re applying for.

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Hi Naveena,

I have a good news! Infact i recieved the HSMP VISA for UK last night.

Its really been a great help from you guys, and especailly YOU for all the follow-ups you did without getting bugged up.

Im extremely happy and satisfied with your organisation and your efficient way of working.

I will surely recommed to whomsoever who are looking for help thru consultants.

Thanks a lot.

It was pleasure working with you. 

With Regards,

Andrew

Dear Sayanti, 

I would like to take the opportunity to Thank You for helping me seamlessly get my Tier 1 Migrant Visa. I did like dealing with you and i do like the way you approached the entire process. Visa process and changes happen very frequently and your updated knowledge did help me to get things done faster and seamlessly. 

I would definitely refer all my colleagues who ask me for a contact to get a work visa to Y- Axis but especially to you. 

Thanks a lot once again. 

Regards, 

NR

Manager - eCommerce

Product Delivery

Relocating
World’s Friendliest Countries
David Sutton, 12.10.08, 9:00 AM ET

The country that once welcomed the tired, poor, huddled masses is now asking for a little reciprocation. And Canada, Germany and Australia are heeding the call. (more…)

By Marianne Kolbasuk McGee,  InformationWeek, Feb. 18, 2009  

The provisions are expected to affect new hires, not existing H-1B visa holders in the United States looking to renew their visas. (more…)