Is John Weds Angel?

30th March 2017

My name is John Peter and I am working as a Senior Tester in a prestigious IT Company named Green Solution Private Limited located in Trivandrum, Kerala (One of the greenest states in India). I have spent almost 7 years in the same company and have also worked in both, development and testing for various clients.

That day, as soon as I reached office, I asked my teammate Sundar through the office communicator “Did we get any mail from the client?”

“Yes, John.”

We had been doing rigorous testing on a client website for the past several months. Each person in our team executed around 9000 test cases in the past one month. This amount of testing would normally take more than 2 months to execute. We also identified around 43 critical defects, 67 major defects and 27 minor defects in the client website. The client’s team did their best in fixing most of the defects and the tested website was finally moved to the live environment yesterday.

My curiosity spiked “What is written in the mail? Is everything fine?”

He smiled “Yes, we got an appreciation mail from the client.”

I read the mail.

Hi All,

This is a long overdue Thank You. It has been a long duration project with so many obstacles along the way starting from scope changes to one delay after the other, but I really appreciate the team that has always kept a positive attitude throughout the project.

Everyone had put in a lot of effort, working on the weekend, each one of you were able to test about 9000 test cases with many Priority 1/Priority 2 defects that you found during the process. All your hard work is greatly appreciated.

I want to thank the entire team for helping us establish our well-functioning website with zero defects in production.

Finally, I would like to specially mention John, Sundar and Rani for the great support and your follow up on many issues with the onsite developers and at times aiding them in identifying the root cause for the issues.

Again, I want to thank everyone for your dedication and hard work that you have all contributed to this project.

-Mark Dang

Client Site.

This was the fruit of many sleepless nights and hard work for the past few months. I was happy that we were recognized for our hard work.

I told Sundar “Now that all our work is over, and we have got appreciation from the client as well, it is time to take a week off and party, buddy.”

I heard a voice “John Anna (Anna means elder brother in Tamil language)”

It was Ragini who’s been working in my company for the past 3 plus years. We, three, work for the same client but in different projects.

“Yes, Ragini”

“Anna, do you know any updates about our H1B Visa? I did not get an offer letter from them yet. We are supposed to submit the signed offer letter by tomorrow. Will they process it before that?”

Majority of the IT population in India who work for US Client have a dream to work in Client location. For fulfilling their dream, they need H1B visa. H1B visa is an employment-based, non-immigrant visa category for temporary workers. An employer must offer a job and apply for your H1B visa petition with the US Immigration Department. I am also one among those who are aspiring to get H1B Visa since the past 5 years. It is a lottery system which occurs once in a year where only 65000 applications are picked for processing from a large pool of 2 lakh 50 thousand applications.

I responded back with voice, a little louder so that my manager who was sitting near me could also hear:

“Ragini, only few people got offer letter last week. Our company is planning to process Visa only for those people.”

On seeing her disappointment that her dream to work in US would not get fulfilled this year reminded me of my first attempt for H1B.

I also added “Even our manager knows about it. They will be updating us soon about it.”

As soon as Ricky, my manager, heard the words, he came to my seat and said

“John, Can I talk to you alone in the meeting room?”

“Yes, Ricky.”

We started walking towards the meeting room which is hardly 50m away. Thoughts started rolling like he would be telling that he tried his best to process my H1B but failed. We reached the meeting room. The lights inside the room were not switched on. All the chairs were free, but we did not sit.

He said “I don’t know how to say but it is really bad news. Not only bad news for you but for us as well. This time our organization is not planning to process your H1B due to US president Trump’s decision. “

I started recollecting the proposed changes to H-1B visa norms which came in Hindustan times, e-newspaper, two months ago.

Different bills proposed by senators have lobbied for reforms in the H-1B and L-1 visa norms. Some of the proposed changes are:

• Doubling minimum salaries of H-1B visa holders to $130,000

• Earmark 20% of H-1B visas for small and start-up employers

• Remove ‘per country’ cap for employment visas

to ensure equal distribution

• Firms hiring H-1B visa holders need to make a “good faith” effort to recruit Americans first

• Give preference to students educated in the US for H-1B visas rather than computerized lottery system

• Crack down on outsourcing companies that import workers for temporary training and then send them back home to do the same job

• Prohibit spouses of H-1B visa holders from working in the US

• Prohibit companies with more than 50 employees, of which at least half are H-1B or L-1 holders, from hiring additional H-1B employees

• Strict audit and vetting by Department of Labor to clamp down on fraud or misuse

He Continued “I know that you were behind the H1B Visa for the past 5 years. We tried our best for the past 2 weeks with the management to process your H1B saying that you were working hard in the organization for more than 7 years. Last night, we got the confirmation from them that they won’t be processing your Visa. We asked them to process for 50 people in our account (an account means a group of members who is working for a particular client), but they accepted only 11 of them.”

I know the 11 people who got the offer letter a week before. 2 of them belong to Bangalore team, 2 from Kochi, 1 from Chennai and rest 6 belong to Trivandrum location. Out of 11, 3 of them have hardly completed 3 years with organization.

Though tears were fast filling my eyes, I controlled myself so that my tears won’t come out in front of him. I asked him back “As per Trump’s decision, how are you able to process a visa for the people who have hardly three years of experience but not for the people who have more than seven years of experience with the organization?”

“As per organization decision, they shortlisted the people based on their experience, skilled technology and their performances.”

“Thank You” That was all I could say.

As soon as I left the room, I went to the washroom. I opened the tap, started pouring water on my face so that my tears would mix with water and cannot be seen. My dad used to become mad/angry whenever he sees anyone crying in front of him. Indeed, he hadn’t cried in front of anyone when he lost the money from his business. He taught me four etiquettes in my childhood. First, “To be honest with everyone”. Second “If you commit to one activity, do it sincerely and at the earliest”. Third “Never ever cry in front of others during your difficult situation which will eventually make you weak and lose your hope to win.” And fourth “Respect every woman”.

I slowly rubbed my face with hand kerchief while recollecting all these etiquettes and I came back to my seat. One of my friends, Rohith, noticed that I am not well. So, he came to my seat and asked, “Are you okay?”

“I am good”, I said.

“Are you worried because your H1B visa has not been processed this time too? I think you cried. Your eyes are red”

I exclaimed “I cried, and I don’t want to cry in front of anyone. Yes, I am upset that I didn’t get H1B visa. It would be great if you don’t talk about H1B visa in front of me”

“You can escalate this incident to the HR if you need”

“No need, they are going to say the same story that Ricky has already told me. To compensate they may just award me for something in the upcoming Rewards and Recognition ceremony”

He left for his seat and since our project was over and there was nothing major to do for the day, I started browsing through the mails. Meanwhile, I could see Ricky calling those people whose visa had not been processed one by one in the same meeting room. I could see all of them coming out of the room with a sad face. With distress, I turned to my system, I could see lots of chat box blinking in my screen. I opened them, one by one. Unfortunately, all had the same question in different formats like “Did they process your H1B visa? “

Or

“I heard that our company is not processing your H1B Visa this time.”

Or

“Buddy, this time they won’t be processing our visa.”

I was upset and didn’t want to reply to any one of them.

I locked the system and walked towards the pantry for a cup of tea. On my way, I saw my HR, Ranjini, who was talking to one of her friend/associates. I waited for her. Once her conversation was over with him, she came to me and asked, “Hi John, do you want to talk?”

“Yes, is it possible to encash my earned leave since my earned leave balance is 30 for the past 2 years? (Earned Leave is provided for planned long leaves for travel, vacation etc. It means leave earned in respect of periods spent on duty at the rate of 1 day for every 1 month of service spent on duty. The maximum count of earned leave a person can keep in a private company is 30 days)

She replied, “No John, as per factory act, you can en-cash your leave while you resign from the company. I believe you might have worked for more than 5 years in the company. That’s why you are having 30 earned leaves for years”

“Okay Ranjini. I have another question”

“Yes”

“I have completed 7 years with our company and got good grades for the past 6 years. Why are you not able to process my visa but are able to for people who have completed only 3 years in the company?”

She took a deep breath and said “I know you are worried very much. But all these things happened due to Trump’s decision on H1B. Even your account manager, project manager couldn’t do anything to process most of the visa applications for many talented people just like you. Our organization has taken a decision based on technical strength and rating. Can we discuss about it inside the room further?”

I smiled with a sad face and said “No, it is okay and thanks for the information.”

I continued my walk towards the pantry. I pressed the button in the Coffee machine for a tea. It displayed “Piston error”. I took hot water from the water heater in a paper cup. Dipped a tea bag twice inside the cup. I started recollecting all the memories while sipping the tea. After having tea, I started walking to my seat.

Someone called me. I recognized the voice. It was Reeta who is another project manager in my account.

“John, you look so thin now.”

I would have been happier if she told the same thing when I was trying hard to reduce my weight. Now it happened due to heavy workload, less time to have food and lack of sleep.

“Thanks, I stopped eating unnecessary snacks and non-veg for a month”

“Is it for Easter’s lent?”

“Yes”

“Good, it would be good if you are able to stop eating these stuffs after Easter as well.”

With a blank face I said “Sure, I will try it.”

I sat in my seat and as soon as I unlocked my desktop with my credentials, I noticed few more chats popping from my office messenger. I opened all the 17 chat messages and slowly replied to them one by one.

“Yes, our company is not processing visa for me since I am in testing background”

I went to Ricky’s seat.

“I need leave for 4 days.”

“Are you okay? Why do you need leave for 4 days?”

“I am okay. I am planning to spend few days with my family.”

“Raise your leave request. I will approve it”.

“Thanks”

He smiled “Have a nice journey. “

I applied my leave for next 4 days and left the office. I reached my room and started packing my clothes which needed washing. My friend Ramesh who is also my roommate and office colleague came inside the room.

“Where are you going now?”

“I have applied leave for 4 days. I will be back on April 6th.”

“Have they found a bride for you?”

“No buddy. This time also I am not getting H1B Visa. I am going mad since the time I heard that. It would be good if I spend some time with my nephew for few days. Luckily you got your visa last time, else they wouldn’t have processed your visa either. Did you get any update on your US travel?”

“Yes, hope on April 21st.”

“Congrats, so you won’t be coming for Rajesh’s marriage.”

Rajesh is our roommate whose marriage is fixed on May 6th, 2017 at Kannur, Kerala. We have booked train tickets in advance for the sole purpose of having the bachelors party.

“Yes, mostly I won’t be there. I will confirm next week.”

“Hey! Can you drop me at Kazhakuttom bus stop?”

“Sure.”

He dropped me at the bus stop. We started waiting for the bus. Though I was upset that I did not get Visa, I felt happy that my roommate will go to US soon.

The bus arrived.

“Happy weekend”

“Same to you. Have a nice journey. Hope you will be fine when you are back”

I got into the bus and started travelling to my hometown.