US employers seeking to hire skilled foreign workers can use the federal government’s H-1B visa programme for a fee, allowing tech and other professionals from abroad to work in the United States for a few years.
US President Donald Trump, who has pursued a broad immigration crackdown since taking office last year, has lambasted the programme and wants to permanently raise the fee from between $2,000 and $5,000 to more than $100,000.
Despite criticism that some companies use the visas to hire lower-paid foreign workers instead of Americans, business groups and companies say they help recruit highly skilled professionals and address a lack of qualified US workers in some industries.
The visas, established by Congress in 1990, are especially critical for tech companies seeking to recruit from India and China. Consultancy companies such as Deloitte, PwC and Ernst & Young as well as outsourcing giants such as Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, HCL Tech and LTIMindtree are also top H-1B sponsors.
Here are more details about the programme and what changes are happening under the Trump administration
