Washington: One of the largest beneficiary countries of the American H-1B visas is having sleepless nights worrying about President Donald Trump’s presumed impact on the programme.
In November of 2015, around 70 per cent of H-1B visas were given to employees from India. Several thousands are currently working with some of the biggest technology companies in the United States.
Why is several thousand back home — awaiting word from the Trump administration — are turning to astrologers for some cosmic answers, reports the Washington Post. The newspaper quoted an astrology app firm as saying that they have been seeing “a huge spike” in the number of “Trump-related” queries.
“People are uncertain about the future, and they’re looking for astrologers to guide them or come up with a solution. Astrology is inherent within us, whether it’s taking a decision to get married or starting up a business,” 25-year-old Vaibhav Magon, founder of Askmonk, was quoted as saying.
A separate check by the Deccan Chronicle revealed several queries on India astrology websites, especially from students.
Magon told the Post that an Askmonk reading of Trump’s horoscope had actually gone viral. The Post says the astro prediction advised the US President to “wear a 6.25-carat ruby ring” for better health. He was also asked to keep a self-portrait “in a wooden frame facing south in the Oval Office”.
Rumours of a clampdown on the H1-B visa programme has caused much turmoil in the Indian stock market. Earlier this week, the top tech giants of the country lost thousands of crores in market value after fears of a hiring freeze gripped traders.
The Post also consulted with one Jaipur-based astrologer Vinod Shastri, who runs the Astrological Council & Research Institute in the city.
“When I told them that he will win, their response was that America will be destroyed and that he can do anything. Now they are wondering how his relationships will affect Indian leaders, what he will do for India, his relationship with the U.K and the effect he will have on Indian-U.S. business relations,” he said.
Trump not planning any executive order on H-1B
The Trump administration has no plans to come out with an executive order on H-1B visas, a prominent Indian-American donor and supporter of the US President claimed on Thursday contradicting media reports that have generated anxiety in India.
“There will be a need of more H-1B visas. The number of people on H-1B from India is certainly going to increase,” Chicago-based Shalabh ‘Shalli’, Kumar and head of the Republican Hindu Coalition, told reporters at a news conference.
Responding to a volley of questions, Kumar claimed that contrary to the reports in the media, there is no executive order being worked upon by the White House on H-1B visa.
For the American economy to grow, IT would have to play an important role.
