Priyank Kharge. File photograph supplied to The Bengaluru Live.
Bengaluru: Karnataka IT and BT Minister Priyank Kharge said tighter US pathways to employment-based green cards could put pressure on Indian IT outsourcing firms while opening opportunities for more high-value technology work in India.
Commenting on the US government’s suspension of the Permanent Labour Certification Programme for major IT outsourcing companies, Kharge said the move could raise operating costs, make skilled-employee retention harder and reduce flexibility in sending Indian professionals onsite.
He described the programme as a critical step through which foreign workers, including H-1B visa holders, pursue employment-based green cards.
Kharge argued that if relocating Indian engineers to the US becomes more difficult and expensive, more work could move to locations where the talent is already available.
That could accelerate Global Capability Centre expansion and bring additional research and development, engineering and product mandates to Indian cities, he said. It could also increase demand for senior technology talent and strengthen India’s position in product development, AI and deep technology.
“But, we need to be more prepared,” Kharge said.
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Atul Chaturvedi 
