Washington: A new bipartisan bill introduced in the US Senate aims to impose stricter rules on the H-1B and L-1 visa programs, a move that could have significant consequences for Indian professionals working in or seeking to work in the United States.
Under the proposed legislation, employers seeking H-1B visas would face tighter wage and recruitment requirements, and priority would be given to applicants with STEM degrees. The bill also proposes stronger penalties for wage violations and stricter scrutiny of visa applications. On the L-1 front, which allows multinational firms to transfer staff from overseas branches to the US, the bill seeks to close loopholes by limiting use of outplacement, raising oversight standards, and imposing wage and displacement safeguards.
Proponents of the bill—including Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Democratic Senator Dick Durbin—argue that it is necessary to curtail fraud and abuse and protect American workers. Durbin has stated the legislation targets large companies “laying off thousands of American workers while filing thousands of visa petitions for foreign workers at depressed wages and poor working conditions.” The push comes shortly after the Trump administration’s decision to hike H-1B application fees to $100,000 and its proposal to reform the H-1B lottery system to favour higher-paid, higher-skilled applicants.
India, which accounts for roughly 71 percent of H-1B beneficiaries, stands to bear the brunt of the proposed changes. Many Indian professionals in technology and related sectors could find it harder to get H-1B visas or be subjected to stricter wage floors and eligibility requirements. The new norms may also make it more expensive or cumbersome for US firms to transfer Indian employees under L-1 visas.
Immigration attorneys caution, however, that the bill is still at an early stage. Only about 5 percent of more than 300 immigration bills introduced between 2015 and 2024 actually became law. They note that actual impact will depend heavily on which provisions survive negotiation in Congress.
Still, the proposed legislation signals a tougher line on skilled-worker visas in the US, with ripple effects likely felt across India’s tech sector, employment planning, and the aspirations of Indian professionals aiming for work opportunities in the US.
