US Bill to Double H-1B Visas: A Major Boost for Indian Students and Professionals
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The landscape for Indian professionals and students seeking work in the United States could soon be transformed, following the reintroduction of the High-Skilled Immigration Reform for Employment (HIRE) Act in the US Congress. This proposed legislation, spearheaded by Indian-origin Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, aims to address the persistent talent shortages in crucial American sectors like technology and research.
The core of the HIRE Act is a plan to double the annual cap on H-1B visas—the primary route for skilled foreign workers—from the current baseline of 65,000 to 130,000. The bill maintains the additional 20,000 visa slots for applicants with advanced US degrees. This dramatic increase, if enacted, is estimated to open up an extra 45,000 to 50,000 H-1B visas for Indian professionals each year, who historically receive over 70% of the allocations.
The legislation also takes a dual-pronged approach by directing new funding to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programmes in US schools, aiming to strengthen the domestic talent pipeline alongside welcoming high-skilled international workers. Supporters, including major industry associations argue the current visa cap is woefully inadequate for the demands of fast-growing fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud computing.
For the hundreds of thousands of Indian students on F-1 visas and recent graduates, the proposed increase offers a substantial easing of the intense competition for work authorisation. A higher cap would significantly improve the odds of selection in the H-1B lottery system, providing a clearer and more dependable pathway to an American career. This comes at a time when the H-1B programme is already facing complex issues, including allegations of fraud and the imposition of a high fee on new applications by the Trump administration.
While the HIRE Act presents a strong, pro-immigration signal essential for maintaining US technological competitiveness, its passage is not guaranteed due to the highly politicised nature of immigration reform in Washington. Nevertheless, the bill’s reintroduction has sent a clear message to the global talent pool, particularly in India: the opportunity to pursue the American dream, despite its current complexities, remains a strategic priority for key US lawmakers and industry leaders. It is a proposed shift that, if successful, promises to dramatically reshape career prospects for a generation of highly skilled Indian graduates.
Source: INDIA TODAY
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