Frontier India Current Affairs

Written on April 17, 2008 – 9:21 pm | by FICA |

As per the reports received from the Indian Missions in USA, 590 Indian workers were recruited with M/s Signal International, a marine fabrication company, in Mississippi and Texas. They had gone to US on H2B Visas (Guest workers Visa Programme) valid initially for 10 months, extendable at the discretion of the employer and the US authorities. Workers were aggrieved on account of alleged poor accommodation and amenities, deductions from their salary for accommodation, food, electricity, water and alleged non-fulfilment of initial commitment of permanent residency status etc.

In March 2008, the Indian workers demonstrated outside the office of their employer voicing their demands and they also met Indian Ambassador in this regard.

The Indian Mission in USA has approached the US Government to conduct a detailed investigation into the matter and take remedial measures. The Indian Mission has also taken steps to withhold visas from the main US recruiters involved to prevent them from entering India to resume their recruiting operations.

The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has suspended the license of M/s Dewan Consultants and M/s. S. Mansur & Co., Mumbai, black listed the foreign employer and is also initiating legal action against the Recruiting Agent for violation of Emigration Act, 1983.