Rediff On The Net, Infotech: US counsel wants database of Indian software professionals


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October 20, 1997

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US counsel wants database of Indian software professionals

Chief of Counsel of US Consulate at Madras Clyde Jones has suggested that the National Association of Software and Service Companies maintain a database of the work experience and educational background of each employee in its member companies.

Addressing the captains of the software companies at the Hyderabad Software Technology Park, he said, "Of late, there have been a number of cases where aspirants seeking job opportunity in the US had come up with fraud employment and educational certificates while applying for H1 visa. It

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was a tough time for the consulate to verify all these. It would be appreciable if the NASSCOM maintains a database of employees of all its member companies which could be accessed by all the US consulate offices in the country. Also, it should be made obligatory for all the members of NASSCOM to supply their employee details to the database," he said.

He stated that there is a chance that visa applications from employees of small companies would be rejected in case the latter did not make an entry of their employees' details in NASSCOM's database.

However, when asked whether the Hyderabad Software Exporters' Association, comprising around 40 companies of small size, could submit an independent database of the employee details of HYSEA members, he assured that this database would also be made valid.

Ruling out complaints that his office was indifferent to issuing visas. He said "We, in fact, want to help the Indian software industry and promote Indo-American trade. Of the 10,900 H1 visa applications processed at the Madras office last year, only 900 were rejected cases. This speaks of our positive attitude. Of the 65,000 H1 visas issued worldwide, 20,000 were from India itself last year. Also, there were cases where we had issued emergency employment visas in one or two days."

Requesting the companies to apply for the Business Express visa programme by which processing would be hastened by cutting short various procedures, he said that in that route the B1 and H1 visas would be issued in two weeks. As many as 200 companies in India are registered in the Business Express programme.

- Compiled from the Indian media

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