Relief to Indian IT Professionals as the US allows H-1B visa ban to expire

The US ban on foreign workers visa, especially H-1B has expired. US President Joe Biden allowed the ban notification issued by his predecessor Donald Trump to expire as its validity lapsed yesterday. This is being considered a big relief for thousands of Indian IT professionals.

Former US President Donald Trump had issued a proclamation in June last year suspending entry to the US of applicants for several temporary or non-immigrant visa categories, including H-1B, arguing that these visas presented a risk to the US labour market during the economic recovery.

The ban was extended to March 31, 2021. Trump had said, that an extension is needed as the pandemic continued to disrupt American's lives, and high levels of unemployment and job loss and serious economic challenges to workers across the US.

President Biden did not issue a fresh proclamation for the ban on H-1B visas to continue after March 31. Earlier, he had promised to lift the suspension on H-1B visas, saying Trump's immigration policies were cruel.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.