Punjab Newsline | New Delhi
India has strongly criticised US Vice President JD Vance over his remarks on the hiring of foreign workers under the H-1B visa program, describing his claims as baseless and defending the contribution of Indian professionals to the American economy.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the movement of skilled professionals benefits not only Indian workers but also US companies by providing access to highly skilled talent and supporting innovation, research, productivity and competitiveness.
“It creates opportunities for Indians, while also helping American companies with the best talent, innovation, research, productivity, competitiveness and job creation, and increasing shareholder wealth in the US,” the MEA said.
The response came after Vance accused major American technology companies of misusing the H-1B visa system. He alleged that companies were laying off American employees and replacing them with foreign workers at lower wages.
Vance also singled out Microsoft, describing it as one of the biggest users of foreign labour under the system. He accused the company of laying off thousands of American workers while benefiting from thousands of H-1B visas and green cards.
The remarks have sparked a debate over the role of skilled foreign workers in the US technology industry and the impact of immigration policies on American employment.
India has maintained that skilled professionals contribute significantly to the growth of American businesses and that talent mobility benefits both countries.
The controversy comes amid a broader US crackdown on employment-based immigration. The Trump administration has suspended several technology companies, including Microsoft and major Indian IT firms, from the Permanent Labour Certification (PERM) program, which is an important step in the employment-based green card process.
However, the PERM restrictions are separate from the H-1B visa program and do not automatically invalidate existing H-1B visas.
