H-1B Visa Reforms: A Proposed Shift towards American Workers

Senator Jim Banks, a proponent of the "American Tech Workforce Act," has introduced legislation that aims to reform the H-1B visa program, which has been criticized for replacing American workers with foreign labor. The proposed bill seeks to raise the wage floor for H-1B visas from $60,000 to $150,000, eliminate the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, and reorganize the H-1B visa system to award visas to the highest bidder.

The bill also removes a requirement for employers to provide similar working conditions for H-1B visa holders as those provided to American workers. Furthermore, it imposes limits on assigning H-1B visa holders to third-party work sites and prioritizes applications with the highest listed compensation. The reforms are expected to primarily affect IT firms that frequently utilize lower-cost foreign workers.

Senator Jim Banks stated, "This bill puts American workers first. Corporations rigged the system to flood the country with cheap foreign labor and drive down wages." The proposed measures are also backed by prominent civil rights attorney Harmeet Dhillon, who has encouraged Americans to report instances of corporations improperly hiring H-1B visa holders.

The H-1B and OPT programs have been criticized for allowing corporations to exploit the American immigration system, with many companies laying off American workers and replacing them with foreign labor. Microsoft, for instance, has laid off 15,000 American workers since 2025, while applying for over 5,000 H-1B visas. The majority of H-1B visas are allocated to individuals in computer-related fields, with median salaries for software developers around $116,000.

Key Takeaways:

• The "American Tech Workforce Act" proposes to raise the wage floor for H-1B visas from $60,000 to $150,000.
• The Proposed bill aims to eliminate the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which supports half a million workers in the United States.
• The reforms also modify requirements for H-1B visas, requiring employers to pay visa holders the greater of the annual wage paid to a U.S. worker or $110,000, adjusted for inflation.
• The bill imposes limits on assigning H-1B visa holders to third-party work sites and prioritizes applications with the highest listed compensation.
• The H-1B and OPT programs are expected to primarily affect IT firms, while also allowing corporations to exploit the American immigration system.
• Senator Jim Banks states that the reforms aim to put American workers first and prevent corporations from flooding the country with cheap foreign labor.
• The proposed measures are backed by prominent civil rights attorney Harmeet Dhillon, who has encouraged Americans to report instances of corporations improperly hiring H-1B visa holders.

Statistics:

• Over 1 million foreign graduates are retained in white-collar positions in the United States due to the H-1B and OPT programs.
• At least 1 million Americans lose out on secure employment, good houses, and family stability as a result of this imported labor force.
• The majority of H-1B visas are allocated to individuals in computer-related fields, with median salaries for software developers around $116,000.
• Microsoft has laid off 15,000 American workers since 2025, while applying for over 5,000 H-1B visas.
• The OPT program supports half a million workers in the United States.

Sources:

• American Tech Workforce Act ( bill introduced by Senator Jim Banks)
• Breitbart News (an interview with Senator Jim Banks)
• Harmeet Dhillon's statement to Americans to report instances of corporations improperly hiring H-1B visa holders
• Microsoft's hiring practices and layoffs
• OPT program data and statistics
• The "American Tech Workforce Act" bill text and summary
• Senator Jim Banks' statement to Breitbart News