WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — A prominent Republican is taking another stab at tightening the rules of the nation’s H-1B visa program, which are issued to highly-skilled immigrant workers, just weeks away from the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.
Rep. Darrell Issa, one of the highest-profile Republicans in Congress and a supporter of the billionaire real estate mogul, said Wednesday in a statement on his website that he is reintroducing a bill designed to “stop the outsourcing of American jobs” and ensure laws are not “abused to allow companies to outsource and hire cheap foreign labor from abroad.”
Under Issa’s proposed legislation, there would be an increase in required salaries for positions granted under the H-1B scheme that replace American workers from $60,000 to $100,000 per year. An exemption for candidates who hold a master’s degree would also be removed, according to Issa, who represents a district in Southern California. Raising the required salaries “would help cut down on abuse by removing the profit incentive,” Issa’s statement said.
The bill, which was first introduced in July, is co-sponsored by Democratic Rep. Scott Peters, also from California.
Tens of thousands of Indians enter the U.S. each year via H-1B visas, a program that analysts expect Trump to target for tougher vetting. That could not only be a blow for Indians who want to work in the U.S., but also for India’s outsourcing firms, which employ millions and comprise roughly 20% of the country’s exports of goods and services.
Information from the Wall Street Journal contributed to this report.
