H-1B work visa programme benefits US, India: study

Bangalore

THE controversial H-1B visa programme, widely criticised for costing American workers their jobs, has actually provided economic benefits for both the US and India, according to a new study from researchers at the Centre for Global Development and the University of Michigan.

The combined incomes for the two countries as a result of the US visa programme rose by about US$17.3 billion or 0.36 per cent, and the total IT output from both countries rose by about 0.45 per cent in 2010, say researchers Gaurav Khanna of the Centre for Global Development and Nicolas Morales at the University of Michigan. While recognising negative repercussions for some workers, the study said that on the whole, US-born employees were wealthier by about US$431 million in 2010 because of the programme.