Finance Minister P Chidambaram has told US lawmakers of India’s concerns over the immigration Bill, calling the proposed legislation a non-tariff barrier.
“The restrictions sought on knowledge workers amount to non-tariff barriers,” the finance minister was quoted in an official statement here.
The Bill, recently approved by the Senate, proposes an overhaul of US immigration law. It proposes an additional $5,000 a visa as fee for firms with 30-50 per cent of workforce on H1-B/L-1 visas and an additional $10,000 a visa for firms with half the employees on such visas. The H1-B/L1 documents are non-immigrant visas that allow US employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations.
The US side comprised co-chair of the House &
The minister reiterated there was close cooperation between the two countries in security and defence, and the civil nuclear pact was a milestone.
He said Indian law affirms intellectual property rights and the process of granting compulsory licence and patent registration were World Trade Organisation-compliant and subject to judicial review.
The minister stressed the importance of India becoming a manufacturing hub for meeting its domestic needs and for re-balancing the global economy.
The members of Congress spoke of their interest in promoting India-US relations and advancing mutually beneficial cooperation.
The minister held discussions with Senators Mark Warner of Virginia and John Cornyn of Texas, co-chairs of the Senate India Caucus.
Representatives of Walmart, which made a major change in its top ranks in India, called on the minister.