Narayan AmmachchiThe Economic Policy Institute, a US non-profit, has alleged that HCL Technologies is saving US$95 million annually by underpaying employees with H1B visas.
The US think tank has cited HCL’s internal documents to back up its charges, without clarifying how it gained access to them.
Considering its report, HCL is one of the top winners of H1B visas, having obtained around 31,000 work permits since 2009.
However, Noida, India-based HCL has brushed off the allegation, saying it is “strictly complying with all relevant” rules and regulations.
In a reply sent to India’s business daily The Economic Times, the IT provider said it is “committed to paying wages to all employees” in accordance with the law.
Under US laws, H1B visa holders should be high-skilled professionals and be paid a higher salary than their American colleagues. The United States is the largest market for HCL, accounting for almost 60% of the company’s revenue.
An allegation of this kind is not new to India-based IT providers, as the H1B visa program has long become a political hot potato amid the worsening shortage of skilled workers.
In the meantime, HCL has announced that it would hire as many as 12,000 Americans over the next five years by expanding its operations throughout the North American country.
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