U.S. State Department has said that it is not considering capping the number of H1B visas for countries that adopt laws that restrict data being taken out of their borders (data localisation). The comments are a reaction to a report by news agency Reuters, which said that the U.S. was considering capping H1Bs at 10-15% of all H1Bs for countries that had a data localisation policy.
“The U.S. has no plans to place caps on H-1B work visas for nations that force foreign companies to store data locally,” a State Department spokesperson told. “The Trump Administration’s ‘Buy American Hire American Executive Order’ called for a broad review of U.S. worker visa programmes, including the H-1B programme,” the statement from the spokesperson said, adding, “This review is not targeted at a specific country and is completely separate from our ongoing discussions with India about the importance of ensuring the free flow of data across borders.”
The H1B visa allows temporary employment of foreign workers in U.S.-based firms, in occupations that “require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and a bachelor’s degree or higher in the specific specialty, or its equivalent,” as per the U.S Citizenship and Information Services. The H1B, while a temporary visa, is a pathway to permanent residency (a Green Card) in the U.S.
U.S. has no plans to place caps on H-1B work visas for nations forcing foreign companies to store data locally
