10 biggest gainers of H1-B visas

[VelMurugan]

10 biggest gainers of H1-B visas

Top Indian IT companies remained the biggest recipient of the H-1B visas in 2008, a latest report released by US government shows. The top four positions in the top 10 H1-B visa beneficiaries list is held by Indian IT companies.

These four Indian companies alone accounted for more than 10,000 H-1B visas issued by the US, according to the data released by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for the year ending September 2008. Among US companies, software giant Microsoft was the biggest gainer.

H1-B visas primarily meant for tech professionals had been under lot of storm over the past few years. The backlash against them has reached a new crescendo during the current slowdown.

While tech firms insist that the visas are required so they can recruit talented graduates from US universities. Opponents argue that the programme is being used to push down wages and to offshore IT jobs.

Recently, a provision requiring financial institutions receiving federal bailout funds to give hiring priority to US workers over foreigners with H-1B visas made it into the final version of the economic stimulus bill signed earlier this month

Here we bring to you the top 10 biggest gainers of H1-B, and if they saw or jump or reduction in their quota over the previous year.

Source : IndiaTimes

[VelMurugan]

Infosys Technologies

The country's second-biggest software exporter was the year's biggest gainer. The company maintained its quota with bagging exactly the same number of visas as it did in the previous year.

2008 - 4559

2007 - 4559

[VelMurugan]

Wipro

At no. 2 is the third-largest Indian software company Wipro. The company witnessed a marginal hike in the number of H1-B visas bagged over the previous year. The Bangalore-based company, which has a cash chest of $500 million, is said to be looking at acquisition opportunities, notably in Europe.

2008 - 2678

2007 - 2567

[VelMurugan]

Satyam Computer Services

The beleaguered Satyam Computer Services saw a good jump in its H1-B numbers. The company which was rocked by a Rs 7000-crore financial fraud in January this year saw a healthy growth in the number of H1-B visas it bagged.

2008 - 1917

2007 - 1396

[VelMurugan]

Tata Consultancy Services

The country's biggest software exporter is fourth on the list. Mumbai-based company witnessed almost a 50% jump in its H1-B numbers.

2008 - 1539

2007 - 797

[VelMurugan]

Microsoft

The software giant Microsoft is no. 1 US company on the list. The recent layoffs by Microsoft led to a fresh controversy on H1-B visas, with H1-B visa opponents demanding the company to retrench H1-B visa holders before US citizens.

2008 - 1037

2007 - NA

[VelMurugan]

Accenture

The US-based consultancy with a strong presence in India was the sixth on the list. The consultancy firm has reportedly hired Duff & Phelps to advise it on the possible acquisition of the Asia business of BearingPoint Inc. The technology and management consulting services provider, BearingPoint Inc, recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

2008 - 731

2007 - NA

[VelMurugan]

Cognizant Tech Solutions

US-based Cognizant Tech Solutions too made its entry in the top ten. This month the company guided to add more incremental revenues in the twelve months ending March 2009, than what Infosys Technologies, India's second largest IT exporter, said it would add.

2008 - 467

2007 - NA

[VelMurugan]

Cisco Systems

The company with richest technology Cisco has $29.5 billion in hand, putting it just behind Exxon Mobil Corp's $31.4 billion, despite having a market value less than one-quarter of the oil giants.

2008 - 422

2007 - NA

[VelMurugan]

Larsen & Toubro Infotech

At the ninth position on the list is another Indian IT company Larsen & Toubro Infotech. The company's parent company Larsen & Toubro is the largest shareholder in the fraud-hit Satyam Computer Services.

2008 - 403

2007 - NA

[VelMurugan]

IBM India Private Limited

At no. 10 is IBM India. The Indian subsidiary of the US-based IT giant was the tenth biggest beneficiary of H1-B visas in 2008. A research report last week put IBM Global Services as the largest vendor in the IT Services market in India with a market share of 10.8 per cent.

2008 - 381

2007 - NA