Summary
Former President Donald Trump proposed that U.S. companies pay a $100,000 fee for each foreign worker they hire under the H-1B visa program, used mainly by the tech industry. These visas allow foreign workers with specialized skills to work in the U.S. temporarily. Some worry this change could hurt innovation and economic growth.
Key Facts
- Trump proposed a fee of $100,000 per foreign employee hired under the H-1B visa program.
- The H-1B visa allows U.S. companies to hire foreign workers in specialized fields such as technology, healthcare, and education.
- About 65% of H-1B visas in 2023 were issued to workers in computer-related jobs.
- H-1B visas have a cap of 65,000 per year for for-profit companies, with an extra 20,000 visas for workers with advanced degrees.
- Some say the program lets companies pay foreign workers less than American workers.
- The visas are now distributed by a lottery system due to high demand.
- Since 2020, Amazon has been the biggest U.S. employer of H-1B visa holders.
- Trump temporarily stopped the H-1B program during his term, but President Biden later resumed it.
