More trouble for Indian IT professionals: After US, Singapore tightens visa norms

While the Trump administration, on one hand, fuelling rise in anxiety in India with its clampdown on H1-B visa programme, Singapore has been quietly cutting down visas for Indian IT professionals over the last few months, the Times of India reported today.

New Delhi: While the Trump administration, on one hand, fuelling rise in anxiety in India with its clampdown on H1-B visa programme, Singapore has been quietly cutting down visas for Indian IT professionals over the last few months, the Times of India reported on Monday.

“This (visa problem) has been lingering for a while but since early-2016, visas are down to a trickle. All Indian companies have received communication on fair consideration, which basically means hiring local people,“ Nasscom president R Chandrashekhar has been quoted as saying in the TOI report.

Looking at the fall in the visa approvals for Indian IT professionals, India has now put the review of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) on hold, saying that the move was in violation of the trade pact.

The report said that the visa authorities at Singapore are said to be demanding compliance with certain economic pre-requisites via a test called the economic needs test (ENT).

The test is being conducted despite clear instructions from the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) that no such test be done on agreed services.