HCL Tech steps up US hiring on Trump fear

HCL Technologies on Tuesday said it has stepped up efforts in the US for campus and entry-level hires to support growth in coming quarters even though a very high percentage of employees already comprise local hires.

There are concerns that the new government in the US, under Donald Trump, is likely to push for a stricter visa regime to curb abuse of H1-B and L1 visas used by foreign workers. Such a move will have a significant impact on Indian IT firms, which get about 60 per cent of their revenues from the US.

``We have really looked at our current base of employees and looked at how local hiring can be ramped up... We are stepping up our campus and entry-level hiring in the US to support some of the growth that we will see in coming quarters,'' HCL Technologies President and CEO C Vijayakumar told journalists. He said the company has been applying for less than 1,000 visas a year on an average over the past 3-4 years. It has been coming down.

``Our strategy has been in all IT outsourcing deals, we re-badge a lot of people from our clients and we hire people from local geographies.

ALSO READ: Trump signs order withdrawing US from Trans-Pacific trade deal