India's Infosys to hire 10,000 U.S. workers

May 2 (UPI) -- Infosys Ltd., India's iconic outsourcing firm, said Tuesday it will train and hire 10,000 workers in the United States.

The announcement follows an executive order from President Donald Trump calling for a review of the H-1B visa program, which allows U.S. employers to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations for extendable three-year periods. The specialized worker visa has been a benefit to Infosys, half of whose sales come from U.S. companies. Wall Street analysts have warned that any restrictions in the visa program, in favor of Trump's "Buy American, Hire American" order, could harm India's outsourcing sector, CNBC said Tuesday.

Infosys, which employs 200,000 people worldwide, said it will expand U.S. hiring and build four research technology hubs in the United States; the first will open in Indiana later this year.

"Learning and education, along with cultivating top local and global talent, have always been the core of what Infosys brings to clients; it is what makes us a leader in times of great change. In helping our clients improve their businesses and pursue new kinds of opportunities, we are really excited to bring innovation and education in a fundamental and massive way to American workers," Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka said in the announcement at the company's Bengaluru headquarters.

The move is a change in the company's strategy, which has relied on employing Indian talent in outsourcing and consulting for its clients. Under pressure to increase earnings in the face of stiff competition in India, it suggests Infosys could reduce hiring in India. The announcement sets a favorable tone for Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi's planned trip to Washington; sources close to the Indian government say the trip will occur in the summer.