America Needs to Worry As Japan Is Rolling Out Red Carpet For Indian Techies With Easy ‘Green Card’ For Immigration!
Japan is forcing the Indian workforce to look East, instead of West for a better life, and better career.
As Donald Trump led US Administration is looking to restrict foreign immigrants and skilled workers from entering their country via stricter H1-B visa rules, Japan has opened up a new door of opportunity for Indian workforce, especially techies.
But can tiny Japan match the scope and dream of American green card?
Japan Eases Immigration Rules
Japan is changing their laws which will now allow foreign immigrants to get a ‘green card’ for permanent residency.
If the law is passed, Indian skilled workforce, especially techies can get permanent residency in Japan within 24-48 months, as opposed to 5+ years which is the minimum requirement currently for getting the same privileges in US or UK.
As per Shigeki Maeda, who is the executive vice-president of the Tokyo-based Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro), this new law would be made live next year.
Last year, India and Japan signed a pact which removed the necessity of short-term contractual workers in Japan from contributing to their social welfare funds. This was seen as another positive step between two countries.
Japan Will Prefer Indian Techies
India has a unique advantage when it comes to immigration to Japan: Our better and close ties.
Japan has already ‘identified’ India has a priority for investments in IT and infrastructure. And this can be gauged from the facts as well: Between January 2003 and November 2016, India invested only $468 million in Japan, while Japan invested $23.8 billion in the same period.
Hence, Japan now wants more investments by Indian companies, and their relaxed immigration rules will ensure the same. If IT biggies like Infosys and Wipro open up massive campuses in Japan, and then recruit Indians under their new visa rules, then it will not only increase bilateral trade but also create more jobs for locals in Japan.
During ‘Invest Japan Symposium’ organized by Jetro, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry and the Indian industry body CII in New Delhi, Shigeki said, “India has very advanced technology. Our ICT-related industry does not have the talent and capacity of India,”, adding, “India and Japan will complement each other in this area,”
As US is tightening their rules by making $130,000 as the minimum salary for H1-B visa holders, and increasing visa fees to astronomical levels, as the UK is also making life difficult for immigrant workers, there needs to be an alternative to these Western superpowers when it comes to immigration and jobs.
Can Japan prove to be an efficient replacement of this mindset? Do let us know by commenting right here!
Japan is a developed country but it is nowhere near the US in terms of immigrants. Language will be the biggest problem. Very few people in Japan speak any other language than Japanese. The US is large with diversity, English language and an economy where there is demand for immigrants. It feels welcoming for Indians. It has been immigrants paradise since its inception while Japan has always restricted entry of immigrants and is just opening its borders for a limited number of them. Infosys and Wipro are mostly in cheap body shopping to the US business and not in high tech industries. Trump is making noises against immigrants but it would be very difficult for him to restrict entry of tech workers. Politicians are dependent on money from corporate companies and all major US tech companies are aggressively against his opposition to tech workers.