GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch wants to more than double the visas available to high-skilled workers
Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah) is poised to introduce legislation that would more than double the number of temporary high-skilled visas available to foreign workers, Bloomberg Politics reports. Tech companies such as Google and Facebook argue that the legislation is necessary to keep American companies competitive because there are not enough U.S. graduates in the desired fields to keep up with demand. "High-skilled immigration reform has received strong bipartisan support in the past and Sen. Hatch believes it would be an asset to any larger immigration deal," said Hatch's spokesman, Matt Whitlock.
The proposal is expected to allow for as many as 195,000 H1-B visas, an increase of 110,000. And while the bill could find the support of Democrats — an earlier version of the legislation was co-sponsored by Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) — it could nevertheless face opposition by President Trump, who has slammed the H1-B system as being a "cheap labor program."
Hatch's to-be-proposed legislation is also expected to do away with caps on the number of permanent residents that can come from any one country, "a provision that has often stymied workers from India and China," Bloomberg Politics writes. Additionally, it would loosen restrictions on others authorized to live and work in the U.S. permanently, like family members or people with advanced STEM degrees.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The bill could potentially be rolled into a larger immigration package, such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals legislation that has a deadline for being brought to a vote by Feb. 8. Read more about the legislation at Bloomberg Politics.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Feds raid Diddy homes in alleged sex trafficking case
Speed Read Homeland Security raided the properties of hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump gets $289M break, first criminal trial date
Speed Read The former president's fraud bond has been reduced to $175 million from $464 million
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - March 26, 2024
Cartoons Tuesday's cartoons - the House GOP abandon ship, Joe Biden sets his stall, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Immigration helped the US economy outpace peers
speed read The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.2% last quarter
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
4-day workweek gets boost from UK study
Speed Read Following a six-month trial, the majority of participating British companies are still using the truncated schedule
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sues to block Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The Federal Trade Commission sued to block the $24.6 billion merger between the grocery giants
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Nvidia sees historic stock rise on AI chips success
Speed Read U.S. chipmaker Nvidia achieved the biggest one-day increase in value of any company in history
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New York may seize Trump's assets for $450M penalty
Speed Read The former president likely owes $600 million from two civil judgments in New York
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published