Coronavirus Impact On US: Donald Trump Considering Suspension Of H1-B Visas

US President Donald Trump is mulling the suspension of a number of employment visas which would include the H1-B against the backdrop of rising unemployment in the United States due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, PTI reports. Incidentally, the H1-B is much keenly sought by Indian IT professionals and others.

President Trump's proposed suspension is likely to come into play when new visas are issued at the beginning of October 1,the PTI report quoting the Wall Street Journal said.

The report further said that any H1-B holder outside the United States would be barred from returning to work until the suspension is lifted. Visa holders in the United States would remain unaffected in all likelihood.

Indian IT professionals would be severely impacted by the Trump administration's decision to suspend H1-B and other employment visas. Several Indians are already reeling under job losses. Many have returned home to India while others are stranded in the United States without jobs during the coronavirus pandemic.

The report further states that the White House had responded saying that no final decision had been arrived at and that it was mulling a number of proposals. The White House is quoted as having said that the Administration is evaluating a range of options essentially to protect American workers and jobseekers though it had not arrived at any final decision.

Apart from the H1-B visas, the suspension could extend to the H2-B visa for short-term seasonal workers, the J-1 visa for short-term workers including camp counsellors and au pairs and the L-1 visa for internal company transfers, the PTI report further said quoting the Wall Street Journal.