U.S. H-1B specialty work visas could get overhaul

A person works on his computer in San Francisco, California May 25, 2012. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith

A person works on his computer in San Francisco, California May 25, 2012. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith

What’s the context?

As Trump pushes ahead with his immigration crackdown, his administration is reportedly weighing changes to specialty work visas

RICHMOND, Virginia - As U.S. President Donald Trump pursues his immigration crackdown, his administration is believed to be in the midst of overhauling U.S. worker visas intended for specialty occupations like the tech industry.

The Trump administration is reportedly working on an overhaul to the H-1B system that includes revisions to eligibility requirements and new wage requirements.

This could mean a focus on higher wages, making it harder for foreign workers with smaller salaries, such as teachers, to be eligible.

Here's what to know:

What are H-1Bs and how do they differ from other U.S. work visa programmes?

The H-1B visa programme is reserved for people from other countries who are employed in specialty occupations in the United States, frequently in the technology field.

They can include software engineers, tech programme managers and other IT professionals.

H-1B visa recipients also generally have to hold a U.S. bachelor’s or higher degree or an equivalent foreign degree among their education and other certificates.

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People in the United States on H-1Bs can extend beyond an initial six-year time frame - three years plus a three-year extension - if a green card application has been filed.

Under the terms of their visas, workers who are laid off face the prospect of having to leave the country within 60 days unless they can find another job or manage to change their immigration status.

Other work programmes include H-2A visas, which are for temporary agricultural workers, and H-2B visas for seasonal non-agricultural workers.

Tahmina Watson, an immigration lawyer based in Seattle, Washington, has suggested a new category for a "startup" visa for people who want to come to the country to start new companies.

"The startup visa is something I have advocated for almost two decades," she said. "I do think our visa system is in desperate need of reform."

What changes are under consideration?

The Department of Homeland Security is planning to unveil a proposal that would base the allocations of H-1Bs on wage levels, which some industry groups have criticized as potentially restricting the number of eligible workers, Bloomberg Law reported.

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs cleared the proposed rule overhauling allocation of H-1B visas for specialty occupation workers on Aug. 8, according to Bloomberg.

The DHS is also revisiting eligibility criteria for H-1Bs and employment-based green cards, Bloomberg reported.

Who could be affected by policy changes?

People from India accounted for the vast majority of approved H-1B beneficiaries in 2023, followed by China.

Under the current system, those affected by layoffs in the tech sector can find themselves scrambling to maintain their legal status.

This story was updated on Wednesday August 20, 2025 at 14:00 GMT to include the latest developments.

(Reporting by David Sherfinski; Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst.)


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