What happened
The Hindu explains proposed United States regulatory changes under a Unified Regulatory Agenda that could take effect around August. The proposals may affect H-1B visas, Optional Practical Training (OPT), PERM labour certification, and H-4 dependent work authorization.
Proposed changes described in the explainer
The proposed changes include tighter scrutiny of employers that place H-1B workers at third-party client sites, fewer exemptions for universities and some research organisations from the H-1B cap, a higher wage benchmark for H-1B and PERM cases, and possible changes to stay periods and work options for international students and dependent spouses.
Why the issue matters
The proposed changes matter for India because Indians account for a large share of H-1B approvals within the annual cap, and many students and workers from India are concentrated in states such as Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
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