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