Legislation on H1B visas introduced by GOP lawmakers

Three American lawmakers have introduced a legislation in the House of Representatives that stops employers from hiring foreign H1B workers if they have recently, or plan to, furlough their US workers and requires employers to pay their H1B workers more than their American workers. The American Jobs First Act proposes to overhaul the H-1B visa program by making changes in the Immigration and Nationality Act.

As per the text of the bill, a foreign guest worker may not be admitted or provided status as an H1B nonimmigrant in an occupational classification unless the petitioner employer has filed with the Secretary of Labor an application stating the employer is offering an annual wage to the H-1B non-immigrant that is the greater of the annual wage that was paid to the US citizen or lawful permanent resident employee who did identical or similar work during the 2 years before the petitioner employer filed such application; or $110.