Trump administration announces measures against H-1B visa fraud

April 04, 2017 08:16

The United States has announced multiple measures to "deter and detect" what it described as "fraud and abuse" of H-1B work visas, the most sought after by Indian IT firms and professionals.

The announcement by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services comes on a day on which the federal agency started accepting applications for H-1B visas for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2017.

The USCIS announcement indicated that the US government is going to be tough and stringent in approval of H-1B visas this year.

President Donald Trump, during his election campaign had promised to end the lottery system for H1B visas, which gives each applicant an equal chance at 65,000 positions each year.

The USCIS has a Congressional mandate to issue 65,000 H-1B visas in general category and another 20,000 for those applicants having higher education -- masters and above -- from US universities in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Asserting that its multiple measures announced on Monday will further "deter and detect H-1B visa fraud and abuse", the USCIS said the H-1B visa programme should help US companies recruit highly-skilled foreign nationals when there is a shortage of qualified workers in the country.

"Yet, too many American workers who are as qualified, willing and deserving to work in these fields have been ignored or unfairly disadvantaged. Protecting American workers by combating fraud in our employment-based immigration programs is a priority for the USCIS," a statement said.

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