00:00We begin with the latest from the U.S., where the Republican governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis,
00:06has launched a sharp criticism of the H-1B visa program that allows foreign nationals to work in America.
00:14He called the visa program a total scam that hurts American workers.
00:20He alleged that there are people making money off the system.
00:25The remarks were made during an interview.
00:27Listen in.
00:30I think you're right to say the H-1B has become a total scam.
00:34These companies game the system.
00:36Some of these companies are laying off large numbers of Americans while also hiring new H-1B workers and renewing existing H-1B visas.
00:44Most of them H-1BS are from one country, India.
00:48There's a cottage industry about how all those people make money off the system.
00:53This is not the first time that the Republican leader has lashed out over the foreign workers visa program.
01:00Earlier in January, DeSantis said that there are big problems associated with the program.
01:06He is also not the only Republican to target the H-1B visa policy.
01:12U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is one of them.
01:15Like DeSantis, Lutnick also believes that the H-1B scheme is a scam.
01:22He also signaled a wage-based immigration shift in the policy.
01:27His remarks were in tune with the Trump administration's proposed draft.
01:31The U.S. government has proposed changes to the H-1B visa program.
01:38The changes are expected to eliminate the currently used lottery system,
01:43under which a lottery decides which employers can proceed with visa petitions,
01:49and introduce a wage-based allocation instead.
01:54Now, this would give preference to higher-earning applicants first.
01:58Critics of the changes argue that the H-1B program fills the labor gap in the American markets,
02:05mainly in the science and technology fields.
02:09Now, if this draft becomes law, it would hurt Indians the most.
02:14Why?
02:15Because Indians benefit the most from this program.
02:18According to data in the financial year of 2023,
02:23the U.S. government issued more than 386,000 H-1B visas,
02:29out of which more than 72% of the receivers were Indians.
02:35Continuing with its crackdown on immigration,
02:38after the H-1B,
02:39the Trump administration is planning to target visas for students,
02:44cultural exchange visitors, and journalists.
02:47The government has proposed a regulation aimed at tightening the duration of these visas.
02:55If passed, the targeted groups would face more hurdles.
02:59They will have to apply for extensions to their stay in the U.S.
03:03They would no longer enjoy a more flexible legal status,
03:07depending on the duration of the program or employment.
03:10Now, the proposed regulation would create a fixed time period.
03:16A student and exchange visa period would be capped at four years.
03:21Visa for journalists, which now lasts for years,
03:24would be limited to 240 days.
03:27And for Chinese media personnel, it would be for 90 days.
03:32The Trump administration is zeroing in on U.S. visa holders.
03:38Reports say over 55 million people are under the scanner.
03:43The country has also floated plans of a gold card,
03:47which will replace the green card.
03:49Now, these moves are a part of a growing crackdown on foreigners.
03:53It could reshape who stays in America.
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