| Recently, American president George Bush called | | | | currency. Secondly, the Indian workers help to |
| for increasing the number of H1B Visa so that | | | | uplift the image or goodwill of India as a country |
| more skilled professionals can come from across | | | | with abundance professionals with high technical |
| the world for scientific and high tech jobs in USA. | | | | and English language skills. This paves way for |
| This call is in a way a surprising matter as | | | | more recruits from India in the coming days. The |
| American economy is right now not at its best | | | | third benefit is that the workers who work |
| condition. Rising oil price and Iraq war have put the | | | | through H1B Visa get real experience in working in |
| American economy in the back foot for the last | | | | USA- the most competitive economy in the |
| few years and rate of unemployment is gradually | | | | world. After completing their works, many of |
| becoming a major cause of concern for the | | | | them return to India and use their experience and |
| American people. American workers are losing | | | | this has greatly benefited the Indian technology |
| manufacturing jobs to China and technology jobs | | | | sector. Now, India is not only a country with a |
| to Indian workers. Therefore, the call for | | | | huge pool of talented techies but also is gradually |
| increasing the number of H1B Visa may seem to | | | | building a very stable and solid leadership in the |
| be a shock to many.Why Bush wants to increase | | | | technology world. In other words, Indian |
| number of H1B Visa?President Bush emphasized | | | | technology sector is gaining its inner strength.Let |
| on the need for America to remain highly | | | | the market demand ruleIndian government and |
| competitive in science and technology. USA | | | | the technology industry have taken the matter of |
| emerged as the world's richest country after the | | | | H1B Visa very seriously and are going to lobby |
| Second World War and it continued to rise and | | | | hard with US administration when George Bush |
| grow all the time. Perhaps the main factor behind | | | | visits India in the coming days. Indian technology |
| this constant growth is highly skilled workforce | | | | leaders will urge US president George Bush and |
| and entrepreneurs. On the one hand, | | | | others in the American Administration to let the |
| entrepreneurs like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Jeff | | | | market demand determine the number of visas |
| Bejos almost single handedly and out of nothing | | | | instead of binding it to a fixed number.What about |
| managed successfully to build world class | | | | the other countries in Asia?China has already |
| companies like Microsoft, Apple and However, | | | | established its own presence in the technology |
| they could expand because they always had the | | | | sector of USA. China is pursuing very aggressively |
| best workers. Their workers had varied | | | | its own goal of improving the English language skills |
| backgrounds and came from different parts of | | | | of its students so that it can be at per with India |
| the world. To allow US companies get best | | | | in the software field. The other countries in Asia |
| workers from abroad, American Government | | | | that can take advantage of any increase in |
| introduced H1B visa under which US companies | | | | number of H1B Visa are Pakistan, Sri Lanka, |
| can recruit highly skilled professionals from other | | | | Malaysia, Hong Kong (under China), Singapore, |
| countries. Currently the number of H1B visa that | | | | Bangladesh, Philippines etc as these countries are |
| US government issues annually is 65,000 and it | | | | pursuing their excellence in the Information and |
| was 195,000 a few years ago during the time of | | | | Communication Technology (ICT) sector and also |
| dotcom boom.Dotcom crash and H1BThings did | | | | their workforce are more or less skilled in English |
| not go very well for the American technological | | | | language.What next?Right now US administration |
| companies in the last 5 years and a number of | | | | and Congressmen are with a very peculiar |
| companies (especially dotcom companies) were | | | | dilemma. On the one hand, they are not very |
| shut down. However, it seems now that the | | | | enthusiastic to increase the quota in H1B visa as |
| worst is really over and the US government is | | | | unemployment figure in USA is not very rosy. On |
| also getting keen to see USA remain as the | | | | the other hand, USA needs influx of the most |
| market leader in the technology sector. That is | | | | talented and skilled workers from around the |
| why most probably, we will see an increase in | | | | world to keep its leadership in the technology |
| H1B visa in the near future. Even if it does not | | | | sector intact in the long term. George Bush has |
| take place this time it is most likely to happen | | | | already stated his own inclination towards |
| next year. Any increase in this number will have a | | | | increasing number of H1B Visa. Now it is up to the |
| positive impact on the Asian economy countries | | | | members of Congress to take the final decision. |
| like China and India are the leaders in getting H1B | | | | Whatever way they choose it is going to make |
| Visa.Indian success:In the last one decade, India | | | | some people unhappy- no doubt about that.I am a |
| was the major player as its workers received the | | | | Reseacrher and Freelance journalist here in Dhaka, |
| largest number of H1B visas. Good technical know | | | | Bangladesh. Right now, I am writing my M Phil |
| how coupled with high level of skill in English | | | | thesis on Role of English Language in Information |
| language have helped Indian technological | | | | Technology Sector of Bangladesh. I am a Member |
| professionals to shine in the US market. Decrease | | | | of Editorial Board of the leading ICT Magazine of |
| in the number of Visas from 195,000 to 65,000 | | | | Bangladesh, Computer Bichitra . Besides this I |
| did not help India at all as the number of people | | | | have some past expereince of Teaching English |
| studying in technological fields is increasing all the | | | | Language in the UNiversity level and also being a |
| time. At the same time, those professionals who | | | | Research Assistant for MBA department in a |
| go to USA with H1B Visa benefit the Indian | | | | University. I have been writing in newspapers and |
| economy in 3 ways. First of all, they get good | | | | magazines for the last 10 years and I have |
| salary and when they send a considerable portion | | | | published more than 400 artilces, featuures, |
| of their income to their families in India, Indian | | | | reports, interviews, and tranlsations on various |
| economy is blessed with the arrival of hard | | | | topics. |