There are many good consultants on the bench especially the ones laid off by companies like Cisco. But recruiters are now reluctant to hire them because recruiting has become even more risky. The fear is that the H1B consultant who needs to be doubly sure of his job will surely have got himself sponsored by 3 to 4 consulting firms. He may actually be interested in only 1or 2 but will keep the others as a standby.
Most recruiters are reluctant to hire because they fear they are the standby.
Fortunately consultants laid off by good clients have been financially compensated. This gives a financial advantage and waiting power over their counterparts who have been laid off by consulting firms and who only have an offer of a free return ticket. Once they must have heaved a sigh of relief after having gotten an End Client. It was a good bye to be under usually unprofessional management, poor business ethics, and the need to be benched and be relocated every 3-6 months. The Project Manager included, Indian consultants will find it hard to digest this.