Wednesday, February 11, 2009

US Senate voted for strict conditions on H-1B visa hiring by TARP receiving companies.

The amendment to the pending stimulus bill restricting the hiring of foreign workers, passed by the Senate through a voice vote yesterday, was a watered-down version of what was introduced earlier.

The original amendment had called for a blanket ban on H-1B hiring by companies that would have received money under the Troubled Assets Relief Programme (TRAP).

The amendment approved by the Senate was co-sponsored by Republican Senator from Iowa, Chuck Grassley, and independent Senator from Vermont, Bernie sanders.

The modified amendment requires that a company receiving TARP funds and applying for workers under the H-1B process must operate as an "H-1B dependent company."

This means, explained Grassley in a statement, that the companies will still be able to hire H-1B visa holders, but must comply with the H-1B dependent employer rules which include attesting to actively recruiting American workers; not displacing American workers with H-1B visa holders; and not replacing laid off American workers with foreign workers.

"Hiring American workers for limited available jobs should be a top priority for businesses taking taxpayer money through the TARP bailout programme," Grassley said.

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