Indian, U.S. Firms Urge Obama Action on Visas

Computerworld: Some of the world’s largest multinational IT companies have sent a letter to the Obama administration complaining about “unprecedented delays and uncertainty” around L-1 visas. L-1 visas allow companies to transfer employees from foreign offices to American offices. Critics charge that the L-1 visas harm American workers, and in 2011 the U.S. rejected 27 percent of the L-1 visa petitions it received. Businesses say the visas are essential for allowing them to send workers with specialized knowledge where they are needed.

Organizations signing the letter included Wipro Technologies, Tata America International Corp., eBay, EMC, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard Co., Intel, Microsoft, Texas Instruments, Boeing, Dow Chemical, Caterpillar, Chevron USA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. They wrote, “Such delays or denials do not enhance compliance or enforcement and do nothing except disrupt carefully-laid business plans and create significant costs to the company and the American economy.”