Dive Brief:
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Infosys Ltd. will hire 10,000 U.S. workers and open four U.S.-based technology centers over the next 24 months, according to Reuters.
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The India-based IT services company said it plans to open the first of the four tech centers in Indiana this August. The company did not provide details on the jobs it would bring to the United States, nor did it reveal where the other three tech centers will be located. Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka told Reuters the plan was not related to President Donald Trump’s executive order encouraging U.S. companies to "Buy American and Hire American," which was revealed in April.
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Infosys' overall workforce includes more than 200,000 people worldwide. The company is India’s second-largest software services exporter, and the U.S. and the U.K. are its two biggest customers.
Dive Insight:
Infosys and other India-based consulting companies like Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro Ltd have come under fire for their use of the H-1B visa program. Large consulting firms based out of India were the leading employers of H-1B visa holders for the last three years. Some critics say those firms are responsible for displacing American workers.
But changes to the H-1B program could mean companies relying on the H-1B program for access to talent will need to consider evolving their business models.
India-based outsourcing firms have already experienced weakening demand from U.S.-based customers as company’s needs change given the growing role of IT within businesses.
Earlier this year, Infosys pared its revenue growth projections for 2017. The company said it expects revenue to grow between 8.4% to 8.8% this year. The company had previously predicted an increase of between 8% and 9%.
