FM meets US Treasury Secy, flags concern over H1B visa issue

Flagging concerns of Indian companies on the H-1B visa issue in the latest US immigration Bill, Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday told his American counterpart Jack Lew that temporary relocation of knowledge workers should not be confused with immigration.

"There are some provisions related to the H-1B and L1 visas, which require a higher application fee, if certain threshold is crossed in employing Indians on site. I did flag it in my meeting with Secretary Lew. Just made the point that temporary relocation of knowledge workers should not be confused with immigration," Chidambaram told a select group of journalists here. During his meeting with Lew, Chidambaram said the two discussed a range of bilateral issues of mutual interests.