H-1B visa effect: Infosys to hire 10,000 American workers

Infosys, among India’s largest software services companies, said it plans to hire 10,000 American workers over the next two years. As part of this initiative, Infosys will open four new technology and innovation hubs across the country. The firm said these hubs would focus on cutting-edge technology areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing and big data. These centres would also serve clients in key industries such as financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, retail and energy.

“Having lived in the U.S. for nearly 30 years, and being a part of the incredible innovation here, I truly believe Infosys can help clients bring innovation more directly into their businesses,” said Vishal Sikka, chief executive of Infosys, in a statement.

The move assumes significance in the wake of an increasingly loud anti-offshoring campaign that has sought preference to locals for jobs in the U.S. than for immigrants. President Trump had followed up on his electoral promise, signing an executive order for an overhaul of the visa system. Further, Democrat Senator Zoe Lofgren had tabled a bill aimed at raising the minimum salary of an H-1B worker to $130,000 from the current $60,000.

 

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), H-1B applications for 2017 fell below 200,000 for the first time in five years. The USCIS received 199,000 applications in 2017 compared with 236,000 in 2016 – about 85,000 visas are granted annually through a lottery system.

Indiana hub

Infosys said the first hub, which will open in Indiana in August 2017, is expected to create 2,000 jobs by 2021 for American workers and will help boost Indiana’s economy.

“Our higher education institutions are producing a world-class workforce, establishing Indiana as the innovation hub of the Midwest,” said Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb, in a statement. “I look forward to working with Infosys to elevate Indiana to the next level,” he said.

In filling these jobs, Infosys will hire experienced technology professionals and recent graduates from major universities, and local and community colleges, to create the talent pools for the future. To ensure that American workers are fully equipped to innovate and support clients, the company said that it would institute training programs in key competencies such as user experience, cloud, artificial intelligence and big data.