After reports by an internal whistleblower and more than two years of U.S. government investigation, Infosys, a top Indian technology outsourcing company, announced this week that it will pay a record $34 million to settle claims that it committed visa fraud and abuse.
The settlement [PDF]—the largest ever in an immigration case—resulted from a claim made by Jack Palmer, an American Infosys employee who alleged that his company illegally used B-1 business visas to bring foreign employees into the U.S., when these employees were performing tasks that required H-1B long-term work visas. H-1B visas are reserved for employees working in fields and performing tasks that require highly specialized knowledge, while B-1 visas apply only to business travelers coming to the U.S. for a short period and for limited purposes.
