Ramaswamy’s Promise to H1B Candidates!

Vivek Ramaswamy, an Indian-American Republican presidential candidate for the 2024 US elections, has criticized the H-1B visa program, likening it to “indentured servitude.”

He has pledged to overhaul the current lottery-based system, advocating for a merit-based approach if he assumes the presidency. He asserted that the lottery-based system will be replaced with more effective meritocratic admission.

Ramaswamy also supports ending chain-based migration and prioritizing skilled immigrants over family-based immigration. He shared his family’s success story, emphasizing that they arrived in the US without money, and he subsequently founded multi-billion-dollar companies.

The H-1B visa is highly sought after by Indian IT professionals, enabling US companies to hire foreign workers with specialized knowledge. Over 780,000 applications were recently submitted for just 85,000 slots, demonstrating its popularity.

Currently, the US offers 65,000 H-1B visas annually, with an additional 20,000 for advanced degree holders, most of which are awarded to Indian professionals.