US President Election: Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, whose victory will make Indian students-workers ‘ball-ball’?

US Presidential Election 2024: Voting for the presidential election is going on in America on Tuesday (November 5). The results will be announced a few hours after the end of voting. But this year a close contest is being seen between Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris and Republican Party candidate Donald Trump. In such a situation, it is expected that the wait for the results may be long. The results of the US elections are also expected by Wednesday morning.

India also has its eyes fixed on the presidential elections being held in America. The reason for this is that lakhs of Indians are living in the world’s oldest democratic country. A large number of Indian students are also studying in America. Every year thousands of Indians travel to this country for jobs and studies. In such a situation, everyone wants to know whether Indian workers and students are going to benefit if Kamala Harris or Donald Trump becomes the President. Let us know the answer to this question.

Is Trump’s victory a profitable deal for Indian students?

Currently, more than 2.5 lakh Indian students are studying in America. The future of these students depends on the policies of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Indian students go to study in America so that they can get a job opportunity after their studies and then after spending a few years in America, they can get permanent residency there i.e. green card. However, during Donald Trump’s tenure, it is going to be difficult to get a green card, let alone getting a green card, it is going to be difficult to study easily.

In case Donald Trump becomes President again, visa rules for students can also be tightened. he/she has long been advocating that the number of visas given to students should be reduced. he/she has taken a tough stance on immigration, which is going to have a direct impact on Indian students. Strict visa rules mean that Indian students who are easily able to go to America to study will not be able to do so. his/her dream of studying in America may remain unfulfilled.

If Trump becomes President again, the biggest impact will be seen on Optional Practical Training (OPT). Foreign students studying in America get a chance to work for 12 months after completing graduation through OPT. Trump has been against this rule before also. The Trump government can do two things regarding OPT, either it can abolish it completely or the rules regarding it will be made so stringent that it will become difficult to get OPT.

If Kamala Harris becomes President, what will be the impact on Indian students?

If we talk about Kamala Harris, she is in favor of making simple policies to bring international students to the country. If Kamala becomes the President, then she is going to make such policies, through which the student visa application process will become very easy. Indian students are going to benefit directly from this. Not only this, but Kamala Harris can also increase the financial assistance and scholarships given to international students to come and study in America.

Now the biggest question is regarding the OPT program. While Trump may try to make changes in this program, Kamala Harris’s stance is very clear. She not only wants to support the OPT program, but also wants to expand it. Currently, OPT is available for one year after graduation. Kamala Harris can increase it to 2 years also. If the Democratic Party forms the government, Kamala Harris can ease the process of obtaining long-term work visas from OPT.

What will be the impact on Indian workers if Trump wins the elections?

If Donald Trump becomes President again, then it has become very clear that getting a job in America is not going to be easy at all. Indians get the maximum number of H-1B visas to work in America. This visa is given to those skilled professionals who work for a particular person. Indians working in sectors like IT, finance go to America through this visa. Only 65 thousand H-1B visas are issued every year.

However, Trump has been advocating changes in H-1B visa rules. There is full hope that the Trump government can make strict rules regarding H-1B visas. Because of this, it will be difficult for American companies to hire Indians. The problematic thing is that the Trump government can change the entire immigration policy, due to which it will become challenging for Indians currently working in America to bring their families to the country.

What will be the benefit to Indian workers if Kamala Harris wins the election?

Kamala Harris’s election victory can bring good news for Indian workers. The reason for this is that she is going to simplify the immigration policy. Through this, it will become easier to settle in America, obtain green card and citizenship. Kamala Harris may retain the H-1B visa program. At the same time, it can also increase the number of visas. The application process for H-1B visas could be simplified and the backlog could be eliminated.

It may be easier for Indian skilled workers to get jobs in America. Kamala Harris can increase the number of employment-based green cards, which will directly benefit Indian workers. She can eliminate the limit of green cards issued to the citizens of every country. The rules for obtaining permanent residency may become easier for skilled workers. Not only this, but it may also become easier to acquire US citizenship under Kamala Harris’s government.