Infosys to hire 10,000 US workers to wade through H1B visa woes

US: Infosys today announced that it plans to hire 10,000 American workers over the next two years- a step that is believed to be part of the company's efforts to overcome the visa-related woes.

US president Donald Trump recently signed an executive order to replace the lottery system for issuing H1B work visa to stop visa misuses.

The Trump administration also said that the companies such as Infosys and TCS, who are the top recipients of the H-1B visa put extra tickets in the lottery system to get the lion’s share of visas.

These companies have an average wage for H1-B visas between USD 60,000-65,000, far less than the median Silicon Valley software engineer’s wage which is probably around USD 150,000, said an official in the Trump administration.

The North American market accounted for over 60 percent of Infosys' $10.2 billion revenue in FY2017, which is probably a reason for hiring more locals in the region.

Infosys will hire experienced technology professionals and recent graduates from major universities, and local and community colleges, to create the talent pools for the future. To ensure that American workers are fully equipped to innovate and support clients in the rapid digitization of all industries, the company will institute training programs in key competencies such as user experience, cloud, artificial intelligence, big data and digital offerings, as well as core technology and computer science skills.

As part of this initiative, Infosys will also open four new Technology and Innovation Hubs across the country focusing on cutting-edge technology areas, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, user experience, emerging digital technologies, cloud, and big data.

These four hubs will not only have technology and innovation focus areas, but will closely serve clients in key industries such as financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, retail, energy and more. The first hub, which will open in Indiana in August 2017, is expected to create 2,000 jobs by 2021 for American workers and will help boost Indiana’s economy.

“Infosys is committed to hiring 10,000 American technology workers over the next two years to help invent and deliver the digital futures for our clients in the United States,” said Vishal Sikka, Chief Executive Officer, Infosys. “Learning and education, along with cultivating top local and global talent, have always been the core of what Infosys brings to clients; it is what makes us a leader in times of great change. In helping our clients improve their businesses and pursue new kinds of opportunities, we are really excited to bring innovation and education in a fundamental and massive way to American workers. New advances in technology – artificial intelligence, in particular – are radically transforming our world, and it is within our reach to learn these new technologies and to be the innovators and entrepreneurs who bring solutions based on these technologies to our clients in all industries.”

“It's so good to welcome Infosys to Indiana, and to expand our growing tech ecosystem with the addition of their estimated 2,000 Hoosier jobs,” said Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb.  “Indiana continues to put the tools in place, such as the Next Level Trust Fund and incentivizing direct flights, that allows us to attract and retain great companies like Infosys. In addition, our higher education institutions are producing a world class workforce, establishing Indiana as the innovation hub of the Midwest. I look forward to working with Infosys to elevate Indiana to the next level.”