(Image source from: US immigration bill blues for Indian Firms})

Indian tech firms might have to shell out more money to obtain  H-1B and L-1 work permit visas for its workers in US now. According to the newly proposed immigration reform bill, US senate has  made it harder and dearer for Indian companies to use H-1B workers at their US operations. However, the bill is yet to be passed by House of Representatives.

Although this landmark comprehensive immigration reform bill spells good news for11 million undocumented people, including over 240,000 Indians residing in the US, it doesn't hold the same for the Indian companies in the US. Besides affecting tech firms like Infosys, TCS and Wipro, this bill, if passed by the House of Representatives and other chamber of US Congress, it could trigger brain exodus from India.

Applauding the passing of the bill in the Senate, President Obama said, "Today with a strong bipartisan vote, the United States Senate delivered for the American people, bringing us a critical step closer to fixing our broken immigration system once and for all."

"If enacted, the Senate bill would establish the most aggressive border security plan in our history," he added.

"It would offer a pathway to earned citizenship for the 11 million individuals who are in this country illegally a pathway that includes passing a background check, learning English, paying taxes and a penalty, and then going to the back of the line behind everyone who''s playing by the rules and trying to come here legally," Obama said.

However, commenting on this, Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner yesterday said,
"For any legislation, including a conference report, to pass the House, its going to have to be a bill that has the support of a majority of our members."

Going by Boehner's comments, it seems it will take time before the bill gets a  thumbs-up in US assembly.

Image Source: US Immigration Bill

AW: Suchorita Dutta