Lakhs of H1-B visa holders in the US have heaved a collective sigh of relief over the Donald Trump administration’s decision not to change its non-immigrant permit policy.

Of late, over half a million H1-B visa holders, a majority of them are Indians, have been on tenterhooks over reports that the US is seriously considering to curb giving work permits to foreigners as part of President Trump’s “ Buy American and Hire American” policy. In fact, pressure is building up on the Indian government to persuade Trump not to go ahead with the move, using Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s good offices.

Had the Trump administration gone ahead with the proposed restrictions on issuing H1-B visas, lakhs of Indian techies working in the US would have been badly hit. The American Dream of those who have applied for green cards would have been shattered. And, for those who have been waiting in India hoping to go to the Land of Dreams on H1-B that would have been the end of the road. But, now, they are all relieved.

According to a statement made by US Citizenship and Immigration Services Chief of Media Relations John Withington, “US Citizenship and Immigration Services is not considering a regulatory change that would force H-1B visa holders to leave the United States by changing our interpretation of section 104(c) of AC-21, which provides for H-1B extensions beyond the 6 year limit. Even if it were, such a change would not likely result in these H-1B visa holders having to leave the United States because employers could request extensions in one-year increments.”

Before the Trump administration clarified its policy, rumours were rife that green card applicants whose visas had expired would be deported en masse despite the fact that there was widespread resentment to the move from top American IT titans. They had said that the proposal would stymie growth and acquisition of knowledge and free flow of talent.