In a recent development in the ongoing discourse surrounding the US visa program for skilled foreign workers, a cadre of American professionals has lodged serious accusations against the Indian tech behemoth Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). According to the Wall Street Journal, these professionals claim that TCS terminated their employment abruptly, subsequently assigning their roles to Indian nationals holding H-1B visas.
Under the H-1B visa program, US companies can hire foreign workers for specialized roles requiring technical expertise, typically for a period of three to six years, extendable upon pursuing permanent residency through the Green Card process.
Allegations filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) assert that TCS engaged in unlawful discrimination, targeting at least 22 American workers based on race and age. These former employees, spanning diverse ethnic backgrounds and ranging from their 40s to 60s, allege that TCS replaced them with lower-paid Indian immigrants on H-1B visas, a move they deem illegal.
The impacted workers, dispersed across more than a dozen states in the US and holding advanced degrees, including MBAs, accuse TCS of displaying favoritism toward Indian workers already possessing H-1B visas.
TCS has rebuffed these accusations, asserting its commitment to equal opportunity employment and integrity in operations. However, the controversy underscores longstanding debates surrounding the H-1B visa system’s impact on American labor dynamics.
Critics argue that the H-1B visa program facilitates the exploitation of cheap overseas labor, potentially displacing native workers and depressing wages. Nevertheless, tech companies heavily rely on this program to recruit global talent, with the selection process involving a lottery administered by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, where employers sponsor selected candidates for the visa.
