A Republican lawmaker has introduced legislation in the US House of Representatives that could significantly reshape the H-1B visa program by eliminating its role as a pathway to permanent residency and imposing stricter requirements on foreign workers.
The proposed legislation, titled the American White-Collar Worker Jobs Act, was introduced by Chip Roy, who represents Texas’s 21st Congressional District. The bill seeks to overhaul key aspects of the H-1B system, which is widely used by American employers to hire highly skilled foreign professionals, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Among its most significant provisions is the reversal of the long-standing “dual intent” policy. Under current rules, H-1B visa holders are permitted to pursue permanent residency while working in the United States. The proposed legislation would require applicants to maintain a residence outside the United States and demonstrate that they do not intend to abandon it, effectively ending the visa’s traditional pathway to a green card.
The bill also proposes eliminating the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which allows international students to work in the United States for a limited period after completing their studies.
According to Roy, the H-1B program has been used by some employers to hire lower-cost foreign workers instead of qualified American professionals. He argued that the existing system has contributed to wage suppression and worker displacement in certain sectors.
The legislation would further reduce the maximum duration of an H-1B visa from six years to two years. In addition, the current lottery-based allocation process would be replaced with a wage-based system that prioritizes applications offering higher salaries, with the stated aim of favoring highly skilled and higher-paid workers.
The proposal has received support from organizations including the US Tech Workers, the Immigration Accountability Project, and the Federation for American Immigration Reform.
The bill is also backed by co-sponsor Eli Crane, who said the reforms are intended to protect American workers and prioritize domestic employment opportunities.
The proposal comes amid broader immigration policy changes under the administration of Donald Trump, which has pursued stricter visa regulations, increased scrutiny of employment-based immigration programs, and greater emphasis on higher-paid H-1B applicants.
While the legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives, it must still pass both chambers of Congress and receive presidential approval before becoming law. As a result, the proposed changes do not currently affect existing H-1B visa holders or applicants.
