Why India's best students face a tough job market

Students entering this year's placement season are stepping into a rough job market.

- BY PRATISHTHA BAGAI

President Donald Trump's trade and immigration policies have made it tough for both Indian goods and workers to enter America, with serious implications for local jobs. Mint explores.

1 How do placements look this year?

A combination of global and local factors has slowed hiring activity across top campuses. US tariffs have added to trade volatility, leading some MNC recruiters to scale back their campus presence.

New H-1B visa rules, which require firms to pay up to $100,000 to get an employee into the US, have also cut overseas opportunities.

Domestically, IT-the mainstay of placements has scaled back, leaving fewer openings for graduates. Top IT firms are still hiring, but at lower volumes.

Infosys plans to hire 20,000 freshers this year, Wipro is eyeing over 10,000, and HCL Tech is expected to hire over 7,000.