The Trump administration released a proposal on Tuesday that would rework the H-1B visa selection process to favour higher-skilled and better-paid workers, according to a related Federal Register notice, a move that follows a White House proclamation on Friday introducing a US$100,000 fee for the visas.
Advertisement
The new process, if finalised, would give heavier weight to applications by employers who pay high wages if annual requests for the visas exceed the statutory limit of 85,000, the notice said.
The move aims to better protect Americans from unfair wage competition from foreign workers, it said.
US President Donald Trump launched a wide-ranging immigration crackdown after taking office in January, including a push for mass deportations and trying to block citizenship for children of immigrants in the US illegally.
In recent days, his administration intensified its focus on the H-1B programme, popular with tech and outsourcing companies for hiring skilled foreign workers. The Trump administration said on Friday it would ask companies to pay US$100,000 per year for H-1B visas.
02:54
Trump wants to sell US$5 million ‘gold cards’ to foreigners considering a move to US
Trump wants to sell US$5 million ‘gold cards’ to foreigners considering a move to US
Some big tech companies warned visa holders to stay in the US or quickly return, sparking a chaotic scramble to get back to the US. The White House later clarified that the fee would apply only to new visas.