US visa rule change to have repercussions

US President Donald Trump’s order to review the visa programme for bringing high-skilled foreign workers into the country will put technology firms on notice and prospective skilled workers on the back foot. The H-1B visa has helped many skilled foreign workers, including thousands of Indians, find work in the US, but Trump’s aides say the new order would modify or replace the current lottery for the visas with a merit-based system that would restrict the visas to highly skilled workers.

The aim is to live up to his campaign pledge of putting ‘America First’, but in doing so Trump faces many challenges. The visa was instrumental in getting the best talent for key positions in the US. This meant that companies would be run by people who were the best in their field, motivated to ensure that their employers would benefit from recruiting them. It also meant that as a result, the country’s economy did well. As an offshoot, thousands of foreign engineers and programmers found a new life in the US.

All this is going to change. And whether it is for the better or worse will remain to be seen. Trump is taking a big gamble in keeping the best talent outside the country. He is confident of filling key positions with people from within the country but the big question is can they match the skill sets of those they replace.

It is also a good opportunity for countries like India to absorb skilled employees. This means improving infrastructure, creating jobs and making sure that employees find it worthwhile to work in the country. For now, for the sake of the global economy, countries around the world will have to take a fresh look at changing trends and adapt accordingly.