Recently, a bill was introduced that could drastically impact the ability of foreign workers to immigrate to the United States. Introduced by Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, and Democrat Senator Dick Durbin, this “H1-B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2015” seeks to force U.S. companies to try to hire domestic workers before they can sponsor an immigrant worker.
What Does This Bill Aim to Accomplish?
According to the authors of the bill, Grassey and Durbin, the primary goal is to limit abuse of the current H-1B visa system. H-1B visas are intended for highly knowledgeable and educated specialty workers, including doctors, engineers, and attorneys, and are typically capped at 65,000 (with some exceptions). Unfortunately there have been numerous examples of companies abusing the system, and bringing in workers with B-1 business visas to perform H-1B type of work.
If this bill passes, it could cause serious issues for the tech industry, which relies heavily on highly skilled foreign workers. It would also give priority to those who have been educated in the United States, making it even more difficult for other valid applicants to get an H-1B visa.
Why Are Immigration Groups In Favor of This Bill?
Despite the aforementioned problems, this bill would actually yield some tremendous benefits for those who are able to get an H1-B visa. One of the biggest problems with the current system is that workers are essentially tied to the specific employer that sponsored their application. This restricts these workers’ ability to seek fair or competitive compensation, as well as their ability to seek a new job.
The new bill would seek to change this by putting the paperwork in the hands of the immigrants themselves, rather than the employers who sponsor them. This would make it far easier for these individuals to be paid fairly, and to gain new employment if they so desire.
When Will These Changes Take Effect?
The bill was just introduced into Congress, so it will likely be months, if not years, before any changes would begin to be made. For better or for worse, numerous recent attempts at reforming immigration policy have failed to gain any real traction. However, the sponsors of the bill are senior figures, so things may be different this time around.
Our Lake Charles immigration attorneys are committed to helping people achieve their goals. If you’re dealing with an immigration matter, call (337) 214-0670.