desk
Share
News Topical, Digital Desk : The US state of Texas has made a major political and administrative decision regarding H-1B visas. Republican Governor Greg Abbott has ordered all state agencies and public universities to halt the filing of new H-1B visa applications until next year. This decision comes at a time when the Trump administration is taking steps to overhaul the entire H-1B program.
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign professionals with specialized skills. Thousands of H-1B visa holders work in Texas, with a large number of them working in universities, medical institutions, and the technology sector.
Why was this decision taken?
Governor Abbott says this temporary suspension will provide time to develop a "legal security framework" for H-1B visas, as well as to understand and implement any changes Congress may make to federal law and any reforms the Trump administration seeks to implement.
Abbott and other Republican leaders allege that the H-1B visa program is being abused. They say many employers are using the visa to hire foreign workers who are willing to work for lower wages, thus affecting employment opportunities for American citizens.
How many H-1B workers are at Texas universities?
According to data released in September by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas) has the highest number of H-1B visa holders among public universities in Texas, with 228 employees working on this visa. The institution's total employee strength exceeds 23,000.
Apart from this, 214 H-1B visa holders are employed at Texas A&M University (College Station), 171 at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston), 169 at University of Texas Austin and 143 at Texas Tech University (Lubbock).
H-1B dominates the technology sector
Although a wide variety of employers can apply for H-1B visas, including hospitals, music bands, and universities, statistics show that the technology sector has benefited the most from the program. According to the Pew Research Center, at least 60% of H-1B visas approved since 2012 were for computer-related jobs.
Last year, Amazon received the most H-1B visas in the United States, with over 10,000 visas approved. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Microsoft, Apple, and Google followed. Cognizant Technology Solutions holds the highest number of H-1B visas in Texas, with 3,172.
What information will the state government seek now?
Governor Abbott has directed state agencies and universities to provide a complete report on the number of new and renewed H-1B petitions filed last year, along with information on currently sponsored visa holders, their positions, country of origin, and visa expiration dates.
Additionally, employers are also asked to document whether they tried to provide a "fair opportunity to qualified Texas candidates" for positions filled by H-1B visa holders.
What is the H-1B visa and how does it work?
The H-1B visa was established under the Immigration Act of 1990. This visa allows US companies to bring in foreign professionals who possess technical skills that are not readily available in the US.
This visa is valid for three years and can be extended once for another three years. The number of new H-1B visas issued each year is limited to 65,000, with an additional 20,000 visas available for those with a master's degree or higher. However, universities and some non-profit organizations are exempt from this limit.
--Advertisement--
