GLOBAL COMPETITION FOR STEM TALENT
However, analysts believe China is keen to capitalise on changing dynamics.
Last month, US President Donald Trump imposed a US$100,000 fee for its popular H-1B visa, making it significantly more expensive for American firms to hire Indian workers.
The H-1B visa allows American firms to hire skilled workers essential to filling talent gaps and keeping them competitive.
“With the recent changes in visa and immigration rules in the US, the K visa opens up a new pathway for these students to explore opportunities in a vibrant and dynamic market like China,” said Vikram Ahuja, co-founder of ANSR, which helps organisations build and scale global teams.
“Like many other things that are happening around the world today, global opportunities are becoming more and more available to graduating students.”
India-based visa processing firm StampMyVisa said it has already noticed growing interest, with co-founder Rahul Borude indicating that momentum is building as it receives more enquiries.
But it is still awaiting exact guidelines before it can open up K visa applications.
China is not alone in courting global tech talent.
Countries such as New Zealand, Germany and South Korea are also taking steps to make it easier for skilled professionals from India to move and work there.
These options appeal to graduates less eager to move to China, which some argue lacks the same level of freedom and diversity found in countries like the US and the United Kingdom.
At the same time, China faces its own internal challenge – it is already producing a large number of its own STEM graduates competing for limited high-tech jobs.
“Chinese talent needs jobs. Indian talent needs jobs,” said Universal AI University’s Anand.
“It’s going to be an interesting move to open the door. But I don’t see it going to be a tsunami of movement in that direction yet.”
Source: CNA
