New rules to raise pay for workers on H-1B, will narrow eligibility

The Trump administration on Tuesday announced new rules that will significantly raise wages paid to foreign workers on H-1B and narrow the eligibility criteria to qualify for these high-skilled visas. Both measures are aimed at preventing this programme from being used to displace Americans.

The White House said in a statement that President Donald Trump wanted to improve work visa programmes to “prioritise the highest-skilled workers and protect American jobs and wages” and intended H-1B visas to “be reserved for specialised talent that helps support a strong economy”. Indian professionals are the largest recipients of H-1B visas, accounting for more than 70% of the 85,000 issued every year.