Som Mittal, president of National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom), said the IT industry lobby body expects the approval of the paper in one and a half year to two years.
Visa costs of Indian information technology (IT) industry in the US may have shot up, but it is expected to come down in Europe with the adoption of the Nasscom’s white paper that includes a plea for issuing Schengen visa for techies on job deputation in the region.
Som Mittal, president of National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom), said the IT industry lobby body expects the approval of the paper in one and a half year to two years.
“For the last two years, we have been working with Brussels. Nasscom had produced a white paper that has got adopted. Today, we have Schengen visa for business and tourism, which allows people to move freely in the EU region. We want similar visa for people who go there (EU) for short-term on work permits,” said the Nasscom chief on the sidelines of a infrastructure management services summit in Banglore.
At present, local tech companies have to apply separately for visas in each EU countries, which bloats their visa cost.
“This has been adopted by the European Commission (EC) and already passed by Commission College. The process is it will go to the parliament and then every member states will have to approve it. So, we expect it might take a year and a half or two because 27 states have to approve this,” said Mittal.
He said, once approved, it will simplify movements within EU region for Indian tech worker. “It will reduce cost for us and for the member states too.”
He expects more protectionist measures by US government.
“Surely, you will hear more noises and we don’t know
in what form and shape. It may not necessarily all be targeted at us. The trend is disturbing.”
Mittal said there was a “new normal” in the US, where government and the regulatory control on business would be tighter. This he said would impact their freedom to take business decision.
“The (US) business is under pressure (from the government and regulator). Right now, it is restricted to public sector and hence it doesn’t matter too much,” he said.
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