Trump govt begins process to ban work permits for spouses of H1-B holders

In a major blow for H1-B visa holders, the Trump administration has begun the process to ban work permits for spouses of H1-B visa holders. The move, which was first proposed in 2017, would affect thousands of Indian techies in the US.

According to The Economics Times, the US government on May 22 issued a notice for the proposed rule-making that will kick in public consultations to ban the H4 EAD (Employment Authorisation Document). While explaining its reasons for the proposal, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) wrote that American citizens would benefit “by having a better chance at obtaining jobs that H4 workers hold”.

What is H4 visa?

In 2015, Obama administration allowed H4 visa-holders – mainly spouses of the H1-B visa-holders – to be gainfully employed in the US.