A group of Republican lawmakers in the US Congress has introduced a bill seeking a three-year suspension of the H-1B visa programme, citing its misuse to replace American workers with lower-cost foreign labour.
The End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026 proposes several changes, including cutting the annual cap from 65,000 to 25,000, setting a minimum salary requirement of $2,00,000 per year, and preventing H-1B visa holders from bringing dependents to the United States.
The bill also calls for replacing the lottery system with a wage-based selection process, requiring employers to confirm they cannot find qualified American workers, and restricting third-party staffing agencies from employing H-1B workers.
Indian professionals, who form one of the largest groups of H-1B recipients, could be severely impacted by the proposed changes, with many facing the possibility of leaving the country or switching to another visa status.
