Archive for July 2008
1/19 mill > 1.2 bill? (Getting an Indian employment visa)
So I got my visa. Almost two months since I handed in my application for a work visa at the Indian High Commission. Ah – how innocent I was then! Little did I realise the trauma of what would follow. First complication: my application had to be sent to Delhi for verification by the Ministry of External Affairs. ”Should be just a formality” said the visa processing officer smiling at me. I have one word for him. LIAR!
Start weeks of uncertanity, hoping, waiting, frustration, boredom, borderline depression… in fact pick the mental illness of your choice: I was bordering on it.
First: no news. “call back in two weeks…” “Call back in one week”. It became mechanical.
Second: partial news. “They can’t find your file”.
Third and last of all: “There is an objection on your visa. They are not convinced that your job cannot be done by an Indian” The Proverbial bombshell.
Now will someone please explain to me, how India can proceed considering employment visa applications on that basis when:
a) it has a population of 1.2 billion.
Statistically speaking then, practically EVERY job in the WORLD has an Indian in India who is qualiified to do it. In which case dispense with the employment visa altogether.
b) To me at least it stinks of hypocrisy – considering how MANY Indians are working overseas including in Sri Lanka and I’m not even talking about all the outsourced jobs they get…
c) How the HELL am I supposed to convince the ministry? My judgement of my abilities are subjective. As is your assesment of the same.
So I gave up. And then unexpectedly it arrived. The clearance from Delhi. God knows what they were told… how they were convinced. But either way I have the (dubious?) distinction of being identified as someone doing a job that an Indian cannot. In India. Delhi to be precise. It’s ridiculous, it’s hilarious, it’s outrageous and it’s funny. It’s a contradiction.
But then again, so is India.
( I await Delhi with interest. )
