US Republican senator Mike Lee has expressed the possibility of banning H1B visa. In response to a post on social media platform X, he raised the question whether now the time has come to ban H1B visa? This statement came at a time when a post claimed that a Walmart official was bribed to give priority to indian H1B employees. Mike Lee has become the new leader to raise his voice on this issue, which has further intensified the ongoing debate on the H1B program in America.
The H1B visa, which started in 1990, allows American companies to hire foreign workers in specific occupations. This visa is issued for three years, which can be extended to a maximum of six years. Every year the US government issues 65,000 H1B visas, while 20,000 additional visas are given to those who do Master's or PhD from American universities. india has long been the biggest beneficiary of the H1B visa program, especially for IT and technology professionals.
Division on H1B in American politics
Recently, the division in American politics on H1B visa is clearly visible. Vice President JD Vance said that big tech companies hire H1B employees by firing American employees, which is injustice to American professionals. He gave the example that companies are applying for foreign work visas even after firing thousands of employees. On the other hand, trump had earlier described the H1B visa as a great program and said that employees holding H1B visas work in many companies.
USCIS director's stance and possibility of new rules
Newly appointed USCIS director Joseph Edlow has said that H1B visas should be used to complement the American economy and workers and not to replace them. According to American media reports, the trump administration is considering ending the H1B lottery system and implementing a salary-based priority system. This means that higher-paid employees will get priority.
Impact on indian professionals
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