GOP Proposes 3-Year H-1B Visa Freeze
A coalition of Republican legislators has put forth a proposal in the US Congress advocating for a three-year suspension of the H1-B visa program, arguing that it has been exploited to supplant American workers with less expensive foreign labor. Congressman Eli Crane of Arizona has put forth the End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026, with the support of seven additional Republican lawmakers as co-sponsors. The proposed legislation outlines modifications to the H-1B program, notably suggesting a reduction in the annual cap from 65,000 to 25,000, alongside establishing a minimum salary threshold of $200,000 per annum. Additionally, it seeks to prohibit H-1B visa holders from bringing dependents to the United States. Original cosponsors of the bill include Congressmen Brian Babin, Brandon Gill, Wesley Hunt, and Keith Self from Texas, along with Andy Ogles from Tennessee, Paul Gosar from Arizona, and Tom McClintock from California. The H-1B visa program is widely utilized by U.S. technology firms to hire foreign labor. Among the largest cohorts of H-1B visa holders are Indian professionals, notably those in the technology sector and the medical field.
The proposed legislation aims to reform the H-1B programme by substituting the current lottery system with a selection process based on wages; mandating that employers certify the unavailability of qualified American workers and the absence of recent layoffs; restricting H-1B workers from engaging in multiple employment; and banning third-party staffing agencies from employing these workers. The legislation aims to prevent federal agencies from sponsoring or employing nonimmigrant workers, terminate Optional Practical Training, and maintain the temporary nature of nonimmigrant visas by disallowing H-1B holders from transitioning to permanent residency. The proposed modifications necessitate that nonimmigrants leave the United States prior to transitioning to a different nonimmigrant status.
The federal government ought to prioritize the interests of diligent citizens over the profit margins of large corporations. “We owe it to the American people to prevent the broken H-1B system from boxing them out of jobs they are qualified to perform,” Crane stated. He stated that the End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026 would enhance access to employment, reinforce protocols in the visa process, and prioritize the livelihoods of Americans. “I am proud to cosponsor Rep Eli Crane’s efforts to reform and tighten our H-1B visa system, ensuring that our immigration system serves American workers first before foreigners,” stated Rep Brandon Gill. Rep Paul Gosar asserted that the H-1B programme has been “hijacked to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labour – plain and simple”. The bill, he asserted, halts a system that is skewed against its own populace and prioritizes American employment once more. Should a company have the opportunity to employ an American, it is advisable that they do so.
There are no loopholes. No justifications. “We are no longer providing financial support for the outsourcing of our domestic labor,” Gosar stated. Rep Andy Ogles stated that American workers are facing replacement, attributing this trend to the influence of inexpensive foreign labor. We shall not yield to corporate interests, nor shall we permit Americans to feel alienated in their own nation. “End the H-1B scam,” he stated. This represents the most robust H-1B legislation ever presented in Congress. “H-1B visas were presented to the American public as a temporary solution to address short-term labor shortages, while Americans are being prepared to assume those positions,” stated Rosemary Jenks, Cofounder of the Immigration Accountability Project.
