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Sulekha.com, a US-based Internet site for non-resident Indians, has already collected more than 10,000 comments and signatures from around the world within a few days of launching an online petition. It hopes to generate more than 50,000 names in its petition before presenting it to President Bush, the Indian President, the Indian Prime Minister, the law makers in the US Congress and the Indian Parliament and the leading international media.
The petition 'Do Not Abolish H-1Bs' is in response to moves by a Republican Congressman, Tom Tancredo, who wants to eliminate visas under the H1-B category, claiming that, particuarly in IT, Indian workers coming into the US are taking the jobs of Americans at lower rates.
To counter this, the US-based Indian workforce has organised itself online to campaign against the measure. The petition claims that:
"H1-B and L1 Visas have powered the stupendous growth in the American high-tech sector in particular. The H1-B Visa provided skilled professionals that powered the Information Revolution led by America.
"American economy was slumping in the late-80's and early 90's due to the Japanese Manufacturing prowess.
"The Information Revolution that powered America's growth and its leadership status was enabled to a large extent by H1-B professionals -- irrespective of whether they had a part in the Silicon Valley startups or established organisations like Microsoft and NASA.
"America should not abolish the H1-B Visa law that helped mitigate crucial skill shortages. Even today, India graduates several times more Computer Science professionals than America. Several of them work far harder than their American colleagues -- given the fact that they are immigrants in an alien country wanting to prove themselves.
"This resolute hard work of Indians should NOT be penalized by scrapping the H1-B Visa.
"American economy needs H1-B professionals."
Comments
Here are examples of some of the comments on the petition:
"To dismiss the contribution of the skilled workers (especially IT professionals) as 'Cheap labor' is unfair. The fact is that these people have provided top quality services at a competitive price. If fact, the lower costs of Indian companies has forced others to look for means to become more efficient. Abolishing H1-B Visas, will only increase the cost of operations of US Corporations, harm the conomy and, in the long run cause, many more jobs to be lost. Please do not take any myopic step." (from the UK)
"Just as free trade, a free labour market will also create greater good in the long run though it affects some people in the short run." (from India)
"H1-B visa is essential for both U.S. companies as well as individual experts from different countries. This creates win-win opportunities. In the current economy, it is important that the companies in U.S.A. are given a choice to retain experts at competitive rates." (from India).
"Thousands of highly skilled workers land in the US and help fuel the economy, pay taxes, pay rent, even pay social security taxes that they are never going to get any benefit from. It is just not fair to abolish H1-B visas just because American economy is going through a bad phase. It is not fair to foreign workers and it is not fair to the business that need them" (from the USA)
For further information:
Shout99's original story about the moves in the US:
Calls for the truth on overseas workers
Suleka.com 'The Indian Experience in a Connected World'
Details of the petition
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Susie Hughes © Shout99.com 2003
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