‘Abused for Decades’: Republicans Move to Tighten H-1B Visa Programme
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US Republican lawmakers Chip Roy and Eli Crane have proposed a major overhaul of the H-1B visa programme, arguing that it has long been used to favour foreign workers over qualified Americans.
Under the proposed American White-Collar Worker Jobs Act of 2026, the current lottery system for H-1B visas would be replaced with a wage-based selection process, giving preference to higher-paid positions. Employers would also have to demonstrate that they made genuine efforts to recruit American workers before turning to foreign hires. The bill would further bar companies that have recently carried out lay-offs from hiring H-1B workers, reported The Times of India.
The legislation also seeks to end the use of H-1B visas as a pathway to permanent residency (Green Cards) and abolish the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, which allows many international students to work in the US after graduation.
Will It Divert Global Talent from America?
Those who supports the bill say the changes would help protect American jobs and wages, while critics are likely to argue that they could make it more difficult for US companies to attract global talent.
The proposal builds on Crane’s earlier End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026, which calls for a three-year suspension of new H-1B visa issuances followed by wider reforms. The measures, however, would still require approval from Congress and the President before becoming law.
