Fresh Blow For Indians? US Senators Now Push Tougher Rules on H-1B, L-1 Visas - Read Key Changes Here

A new legislation has been introduced to tighten rules on the H-1B and L-1 worker visa programs, targeting "loopholes and abuse" by major employers. Two top Republicans and Democrats on the US Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday said that many employers in the US have abused the loopholes to cut out American workers in favour of cheap foreign labour.Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, and Democratic ranking member Dick Durbin of Illinois said the bill tightens rules by raising wage and hiring standards, mandating public job postings, and narrowing visa eligibility, among others. This move could bring further impact on Indians who constitute 70% of H-1B visa holders."Congress created the H-1B and L-1 visa programs as limited

pathways for businesses to acquire top talent when it can't be found at home. But over the years, many employers have used them to cut out American workers in favour of cheap foreign labour," Grassley said in a statement.Letters were also sent last week to 10 major US employers, including Amazon, Alphabet's Google, and Meta Platforms, scrutinising their reliance on H-1B visas while laying off staff. The senators had introduced a similar legislation in 2007.The H-1B visa program, widely used by the US technology sector to hire skilled workers from India and China, has been under the spotlight after the Trump administration earlier this month imposed a $100,000 fee.Unlike the H-1B program for skilled foreign hires, the L-1 visa allows multinational companies to transfer existing employees from overseas offices to the US.Also Read: $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee Just the Beginning? Trump Aide Hints Other 'Major Changes' Coming Soon

Trump Aide Hints Other 'Major Changes' Coming Soon

Earlier, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick hinted that there would be significant changes in the H-1B visa process before the revised fee of $100,000 comes into effect from February 2026. In a recent interview, Lutnick said that while there are questions about how the lottery system will operate for the H-1B visas, all of it will be resolved by February next year. He maintained that the one-time fee of USD 100,000 will be there to get in "as of now.""This procedure and process goes into effect in February of 2026, so my guess is going to be, there are going to be a significant number of changes between now and 2026," Lutnick told NewsNation.Lutnick said that with the USD 100,000 fee on applications, "at least it shouldn't be overrun with these people. But I think you're going to see a real thoughtful change going forward. And that's what I expect will happen."