Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal has stated that he has never raised the issue of H-1B visas and green cards during discussions with United States officials over the past seven and a half years. Speaking on the matter, Goyal deemed a lower volume of H-1B visas for Indians as advantageous for the domestic economy.
Goyal expressed his personal belief that failing to secure additional H-1B visas is entirely beneficial for India, noting that immigration is distinct from trade. While trade involves mobility to deliver services where necessary, he emphasized that every sovereign nation maintains the right to regulate and monitor entry, just as India would restrict open access to its own borders.
The minister reflected on the migration of top domestic talent to the United States over the past few decades. Observing numerous Indian-origin business leaders and billionaires abroad, he questioned how much stronger India's own research and commercial landscape might have been had those individuals built their enterprises domestically.
Goyal's remarks follow increased scrutiny of the H-1B program under the administration of US President Donald Trump. Recently, the US suspended the issuance of crucial permanent labor certification program certificates to major IT services and technology companies, including Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Wipro, HCL, Cognizant, Capgemini, Microsoft, and Adobe.
The Program Electronic Review Management process serves as the initial step for employers seeking to sponsor foreign workers for green cards. It requires companies to demonstrate that qualified American workers are unavailable and that hiring international professionals will not negatively impact local wages and working conditions. This latest restriction follows earlier immigration measures by the US administration, which included implementing a significant processing fee on H-1B visas.