Trump's H-1B visa bar hits campuses in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: The Trump administration's bar on entry-level software professionals through H-1B visa programme and warnings of higher scrutiny on companies that have a higher ratio of H-1B visa workers as compared to American workers have affected campus recruitments in the state this academic year.

While higher ranking colleges, including College of Engineering, Trivandrum (CET), are also feeling the heat, the hit hard are private engineering colleges that are not much sought after by employers. 

CET placement officer Dr K. Jayaraj said the college has had 500 placements this year against 960 last year. “Indications are that there would be a slight dip in numbers but there is not much to worry about,” he told DC. 

Principal of the College of Engineering, Attingal, Sunil Thomas Thonikuzhiyil said the state-run and government-controlled colleges appeared unscathed as companies in the core engineering sectors like Intel are still recruiting. 

“Then there are small firms looking for those with all-round skills,” he said. “They recruit only students who have all skills competency in the subject concerned along with excellent communication skills.” 

However, service companies such as TCS and Infosys who used to go for mass recruitment even from smaller colleges have been lukewarm to campus recruitment this year, he said.

“The withdrawal of these companies is going to affect smaller colleges,” he said.