Bipartisan H-1B, L-1 visa reform bill introduced in US Congress

The bill aims to reduce fraud and abuse, provide protection for American workers, visa holders

US President Donald Trump greets students as he tours Saint Andrew Catholic School in Orlando, Florida, on Friday. Pic/AFP

Washington: A bipartisan group of four US lawmakers, including Indian-American Ro Khanna, on Saturday introduced a legislation in the Congress to reform the current H-1B and L1 work visas and end its abuse by foreign companies.

The H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2017 introduced by Congressmen Bill Pascrell, Dave Brat, Khanna and Paul Gosar is in addition to the nearly half a dozen similar legislations pending in the US Congress all of whom seek to close loopholes in the H-1B and L visa programmes to reduce fraud and abuse, provide protections for American workers and visa holders.

A significant chunk of US political leadership believes that Indian companies are major beneficiaries of this foreign guest worker programme and allege that this resulted in displacement of American workers. The H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2017 has the endorsement of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organisations and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

The bill, if signed into law, would require employers to make effort to recruit and hire American workers before bringing in foreign workers.

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