External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday underscored the inevitability of a global workforce in today’s interconnected economy, stressing that national demographics alone cannot meet the growing demand for skilled labour.
Speaking in New York at an event titled “At the Heart of Development: Aid, Trade, and Technology”—hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly—Jaishankar urged nations to create a more “acceptable, contemporary, and efficient” model of global mobility that could be adapted to a distributed workplace.
“Where that global workforce is to be housed and located may be a matter of political debate. But there’s no getting away from the reality,” he said. “Demands cannot be met in many countries purely out of national demographics. The question before us is how to create a model of a global workforce that is viable for today’s international economy.”
Jaishankar also pointed to the likelihood of “new and different trade arrangements,” as countries adjust to shifting geopolitical and economic compulsions. “We are heading towards a very different world in the short term—technology-wise, trade-wise, connectivity-wise, and workplace-wise,” he observed. In this turbulent environment, he emphasised the importance of large nations like India building greater self-reliance.
His remarks coincided with a controversial U.S. policy shift. President Donald Trump this week announced a sharp increase in the annual H-1B non-immigrant visa fee to USD 100,000—a move expected to significantly affect Indian professionals, who account for the majority of visa holders.
The order, which came into effect on September 21, initially sparked panic among applicants and their families, with immigration attorneys warning that those currently outside the U.S. could face difficulties re-entering the country. The White House later clarified that the revised fee would apply only to new applicants, not existing visa holders.
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