Why Cognizant may have a H1-B visa ‘problem’

A US court has refused to dismiss a lawsuit against Cognizant for defrauding the federal government’s worker visa programme.

A lawsuit filed by a former executive under the False Claims Act (FCA) alleges that the IT giant had been bringing workers to the US using business or intra-company visas, instead of using the more expensive H-1B work permits.

Cognizant is one of the biggest sponsors of H-1B visas for foreign information technology specialists.

Jean-Claude Franchitti, a former assistant vice president of the Teaneck, a New Jersey-based company, alleged that Cognizant underpaid for visa costs for its foreign employees by applying for the L-1 and B-1 visas, instead of the required H-1B.