The External Affairs Ministry said that U.S. Department of Labour’s decision concerning the Permanent Labour Certification (PERM) programme for certain companies is distinct from the H-1B visa programme.

The Ministry, in a statement, said that the suspension of PERM applications does not, by itself, affect the validity of existing H-1B visas or the status of H-1B visa holders and their dependents. It added that there could be some impact on the permanent residency or Green Card process of eligible employees of the affected companies.

Referring to the comments in this context by the US Vice President, the Ministry said that such descriptions are unwarranted and ignore the fact that Indian professionals in the United States are highly educated and skilled contributors to its economy and innovation ecosystem. It said that talent mobility adds value to both economies.

While it creates opportunities for Indians, it equally helps US companies with cutting-edge talent, innovation, research, productivity, competitiveness and job creation, besides creating shareholder wealth in the US. It said that the steps announced by the US do not advance the shared ambitions of both countries. The Ministry noted that it will continue to follow developments around this issue.