Trump Administration Plans To End Work Permits For Spouses Of H1-B Visa Holders, Potentially Affecting Nearly 70,000 People
The Donald Trump administration in the United States is looking to end an Obama-era law that allows spouses of H1-B visa holders to be legally employed in the United States, reports PTI. The H-4 visa is issued to spouses of those who hold a valid H-1B visa with over 70,000 people in possession of the former.
Many of the H-4 visa holders are Indian professionals, having entered the United States after a 2015 order by former President of the United States Barack Obama allowed them to gain employment.
The termination of work permits under the H-4 visa is expected to be formally communicated by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) during the summer, according to a letter by USCIS director Francis Cissna addressed to Senator Chuck Grassley.
Our plans include proposing regulatory changes to remove H-4 dependent spouses from the class of aliens eligible for employment authorisation, thereby reversing the 2015 final rule that granted such eligibility.USCIS director Francis Cissna
Cissna said that the move was aimed at protecting the interests of American workers. Like other measures, the public will be given a chance to provide feedback on the new move.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, over 71,000 spouses of H-1B visa holders have been granted work permits as of 2017 with over 90 per cent of them being issued to Indians.