Bangalore, Aug 9 (IANS): Indian software major Infosys Technologies late Monday said it was 'distressed' at a US lawmaker's comment comparing it to a 'chop shop'.

"We are distressed with this statement." Infosys said in a statement here without taking the name of New York Democrat senator Charles Schumer who made the comment during a discussion on an immigration bill in the Senate.

"Our strategy is to create jobs in every jurisdiction that we work in," Infosys said noting that "today we have around 1,300 citizens and permanent residents working for Infosys in the US and have been actively working towards hiring over 1,000 additional people over the past few quarters".

It criticized the US visa fee regime saying it was discriminatory. "The visa fees are discriminatory and do not help create an open competitive market," the IT bellwether said.

"Infosys is a good corporate citizen, pays its taxes and is law abiding. We provide a world class work environment for all our employees in every country and we add significant value to our clients, helping them compete effectively in the global marketplace," it said.

During a Senate debate last week, senator Schumer had branded leading Indian IT companies like Infosys as 'chop shops' that break down stolen cars to sell parts and supported raising H1-B visa fees for them.