US making law to increase India's share in H-1B visa

HYDERABAD: The US is in the process of making a law to increase India's share in the much sought after H-1B visas, an American Senator said here on Thursday.

According to a report, nearly half of H-1B visa holders in the US are Indians who are hired mostly in the IT industry. Between 2000 and 2009, 46.9 percent of the total approved H-1B visa holders had India as their country of birth.

"We are working on a legislation right now of increasing India's share in H1B visa," Senator Mark Warner, who is co-chairing Senate India Caucus, said.

India has been conveying its concern to the over increasing number of rejections of the H1B visa applications of professionals. Besides, America has also raised fee for these visas, the move which was strongly criticised by the Indian government.

The US accounts for about 60 per cent of India's total $50 billion IT and IT enabled services exports. The professionals, on short visits, are required to execute the on-site projects.

During January-November, 2010, the bilateral trade between India and the US stood at USD 45 billion.